Tilt
by InuShinigami
Summary: He hated her, and that suited her just fine. She hated him, and he made sure to encourage her hate. But, as the chessboard ever so slowly tilts, their encounters become more and more frequent, their pieces sliding them closer and closer... two knights playing against each other. They just might collide if they do not fall headfirst over the edge.
1. Her Pain

**Author's Note: Hi! So, I've been watching Black Butler off and on for a while now, and this story just sort of popped into my head. I've got like ten chapters written, but I'm not going to post more than two a week until I'm certain I can keep up with this. My priority is going to this drabble-esque story of mine.**

 **Anyway, I hope you like this!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Her Pain.**

* * *

The cobbled streets of London seemed particularly dull that day.

Sitting in a crouch upon a random rooftop, the woman breathed in deeply, appearing to test the night air. A serene, calm expression rested on her features, but then her face twisted into an irritated scowl. She could smell blood. "Ahead of schedule, are we?" she muttered to herself.

"So, it's going to be one of _those_ nights."

Glancing back over her shoulder, she gave a dazzling smile to the male behind her. He wore an expensive looking suit, one that was both decent yet dull, along with a pair of reading glasses sitting on the edge of his nose. Lifting up a clipboard from under his arm, he frowned at the papers. "This means more paperwork." His other arm rose to reveal a large metal pole with what looked to be gardening shears attached to either end, which he lifted up to adjust the reading glasses on his face.

"Oh, come now, William," the woman stated with a pout. "Paperwork or not, isn't it overkill to send two reapers out on a job?" She gave him a teasing smile. "Not that I don't mind your company."

His back straightened. "Officially, I am here to assess the validity of the Board's worries over your recent behavior."

"I've gotten all of my work done," she muttered, her scowl returning as she stared off into the distance. "Their precious _asset_ is just as productive as ever." When all he did was frown at her, she let out a low sigh. "Unofficially?..."

With a softer look that few rarely saw with the man, he replied, "We're worried about you, Isabella."

Stiffly, she rose on her heeled boots, her face blank but eyes flashing magenta. "Forgive me for worrying about him. It's been nearly a month, William. A whole _month_." Magenta fading back to a familiar blood red, almost black iris, her voice came out near broken. "I just want to know where my little cousin is. I deserve that much."

"He is not dead, I can assure you that much."

"There are fates worse than death, I can assure _you_ that much."

His head tilted as he observed the young woman before him. Past prejudices aside, he had grown to care for her over her few years as a Reaper. Surprising as it was, he thought of her as his little sister, as _his_ to guide and protect. But he knew better.

She was beyond protection.

Her lithe figure was outlined in the moonlight, showing off her subtle curves and pale skin that seemed almost translucent. How she had ever passed as human during her childhood, he could never understand, between her strange eyes and unnatural beauty. She looked so inhuman…

But what could one expect from a half demon?

Her blue-black hair had messily fallen from the bun at the back of her neck, wrapping around her shoulders as the breeze sought to set loose the rest of the strands. Black, leather gloved hands, ones with her fingers left exposed, reached up to pull her hair back into another loose bun, even though he knew it would fall yet again once their work began. The thick curls just never seemed to obey her.

Hands dropping to rest back at her side, she turned to face him, plastering on a familiar, kind smile that she usually wore. Scooping up her jacket from the ground beside her, she flipped it through the air while sliding her arms in, the black trench coat tailored to fit her like a glove, though she left the double breasted front unbuttoned, as usual. The split tail of the coat flowed in the breeze, and the sleeves had been rolled up past her elbows, leaving her forearms bare.

"Come on, William." Her hand reached for her hip, clad in tight black pants the were certainly _not_ fitting for a woman raised to be a lady, and she grasped the cylindrical device attached to a holster. "We've got work to do." She held the device out in front of her chest, which was clad in a simple black corset, and with the twist of her wrist, the device extended to become longer than she was tall, with a devastatingly sharp sickle flicking out of either end on opposing sides.

Within a blink, she leapt to the side, landing on the opposite rooftop of him and darted off, a musical laughter following after her. He sighed. "Yes, I do not want to have to apply for overtime again." Adjusting his glasses once more, he took off after the younger Reaper.

* * *

"What a mess…" she muttered, glancing around the room in distaste.

"So uncivilized…" William muttered, looking from the corpses to girl. "So, how would you like to do this?"

She shrugged, moving to lean against her edged sickle. "I don't care. You pick."

"You watch and cut the film reels, I shall file the necessary paperwork. You're horrid at filing out forms."

"Hey!" she snapped as she lifted her death scythe in a playfully threatening way at him. "Don't be an asshole. Even though that's extremely hard for you, William."

He merely rolled his eyes, lifting his clipboard to begin jotting down notes. "Ha, ha. Make sure not to snack on any of the souls. I don't want to file the paperwork on why I had to kill you."

"As if I would eat a soul," she muttered as she strode up to the first Cinematic Record playing out of a man's chest. Reaching a hand into her trench, she fished out her pair of glasses, a simple black-rimmed pair since she often had to replace them due to 'misplacing' her old ones. "Never have, never will."

"Good girl."

Silence fell as the two set about their tasks, with William diligently jotting down notes, and Isabella watching the films, the scenes reflecting in her glasses while she rested her chin in her hand while planting her elbow on her crouched knee. The room itself appeared to be a large viewing auditorium, with grand pillars and the stands being made of pristine, white marble. Towards the center of the room, three oversized metal cages sat, each stained with blood, as well as a white marble alter, this being drenched in more blood than the cages.

The floor at the center of the room, however, depicted a large inlay of some symbol…

Isabella found it best not to get too curious about that.

Starting from the far top corner of the room with the intent to work downwards towards the center, she avoided looking towards the alter. Isabella mentally gagged, not from just her senses being sharped and the blood smell being overpowering, but from the purpose of the alter that made her unbearably sad. "I hate cases with children…" she muttered to William.

"Yes, it appears as if the humans were sacrificing the children in some sort of ritual." He tried to remain neutral, but disgust had managed to creep its way into his voice.

"I can't believe I'm half human."

"Well, not anymore," William quipped, "Since you replaced your humanity with a Reaper status. Now, all you have is the filthy demon blood infecting your veins."

"Aren't you the charmer," she snapped sarcastically, turning back to the film. "Speaking of demon… Holy _shit_."

"Let me guess: a demon slaughtered them?"

"Well, now I know why they insisted I take the case." Eyes still locked on the film, she whistled before slicing the film with her scythe and moving to the next. "Hope this guy isn't lurking around still. From the looks of the films, he is _bad_ news… and I _really_ don't feel like a fight."

"Likely an Ancient," William replied. "Rarely do younger or even middle aged demons leave so many heavily tainted souls untouched. I feel pity for the fool who contracted him—"

" _NO!_ "

The horrific screech she made caused William to nearly drop his clipboard and death scythe. Whipping his head round to look at his partner, he watched her shove away the Cinematic Record, nearly in tears. Her face turned to meet his, and she looked so lost. So upset.

"Give me the clipboard!" she yelled, leaping down from the stands to land at his side. Rather than wait for him to hand it over, she immediately yanked the board away and began flipping through the pages. "He isn't here, _why isn't he here?_ "

"What are you talking about?"

"Ciel, my cousin! He was in that monster's Cinematic Records. He was here during the ceremony, and oh god, they _tortured_ him! Why isn't he in the paper work?! Where is he?!"

Grabbing her by the shoulders, he forced the hysterical young woman to look at him. "Calm yourself: If he isn't in the paperwork, then he isn't dead!"

"Think, William! Think! A demon slaughtered _all_ of the witnesses. A demon killed _all_ of a demonic cult who was torturing and then _killing_ young children. Tell me, why would he do that, why would he kill the cult, and why would he let a young boy being tortured live?!" William's face paled, and he drew Isabella close, letting her bury her face into his chest while she sobbed.

The demon killed the cult because he was _ordered_ to do so.

And the child lived because _he_ was the one to contract the demon to do so.

 _God, help that poor boy. God, save poor Ciel Phantomhive's soul._


	2. Her Reaper

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Her Reaper.**

* * *

Isabella had been an interesting addition to the Reaper ranks.

No one knew much about why she wanted to join. One day, the then sixteen-year-old girl just shown up in the classes, being thrust into a fast track course of specialist training. The girl barely knew anything about being a Reaper, but the Board could hardly turn her away.

Of the little publically known to Shinigami society about her, the first fact had been her sponsor. To become a Reaper if not born one, you had to have some skill or talent spotted by the more elite, as well as someone willing to back you and properly mentor you throughout the program. Isabella's sponsor had been the infamous Reaper who reaped the most challenging of souls, the one who had reaped people such as Marie Antoinette and the infamous Robin Hood.

The strange man had _never_ mentored someone, even with the Board's constant prodding. His odd and vague responses left them feeling as if it would never happen. Then, one day he just walked into the Board's meeting, leading the overwhelmed young woman behind him.

The second fact had been her heritage. Reapers brought into the society were always of human blood. The human blood could be turned to Reaper through a series of ceremonies, ending with them becoming an immortal and divine being. Demons were never turned because their demonic blood could not be made divine.

But Isabella was only a half demon.

He had not been present, but from what little Isabella had told him, the process had been excruciatingly painful. Her demonic aura tried to eliminate the Reaper essence enveloping her, but she managed to suppress it just enough for the ritual to complete, thus converting her humanity into that of the Shinigami.

She became the first ever hybrid, and the whispers soon spread. Most Reapers hated demons, thought them to be foul beasts, William included. So, when he found himself teaching the eager, newly turned hybrid, he often protested against her presence, her very _existence_ , being cruel and cold to her every move.

Yet, she never complained. Oh, she sent plenty of murderous glares at him for running her ragged, trying to push her to quit, to give in, to admit to some nonexistent plan of stealing the souls she would eventually reap, but she never caved. And, after each session, she would bow, smile, and _thank him_.

He eventually decided her to be mad.

Until one day, she came to him. Her eyes were pleading, sorrowful. "I need your help."

He scoffed, intent on ignoring her as he strode away. But she persisted, following closely after him. Eventually, he stopped with a sigh. "What do you want?"

"I need an escort to the human realms."

His eyes narrowed as he stiffly turned to glare at the girl. "Why? So that you can steal souls out in the open?"

Her jaw ticked in irritation. "What part of the fact that I've never consumed a soul before do you not understand?!"

"It's only a matter of time."

Her eyes rolled in irritation. "Look, I just need an escort to go see someone close to me. I'm not even going to talk to them, just look in on them! I won't touch a single human, and you can be there to finish me off if I do."

Still glaring, he simply answered, "No." Turning round, he moved to head back down the hall.

"I'm never going to be good enough for you all, am I?" His feet stilled, though he did not turn around. "No matter how I try to prove myself, no matter how much I try and prove I'm not a mindless monster, that's all any of you will see of me! The demon girl, the soul eater, the monster in your midst. _The disgusting, vile creature_. I came here with so much hope…" Her voice cracked. "Why did I even bother?"

The sound of quickly clicking heels met his ears, slowly growing dimmer, signaling that she had run off.

William had yet to move.

Later that evening, by some strange compulsion, he found himself knocking on the half demon's door. Upon opening it, her confused expression dropped into shock. He kept his face neutral, his eyes locked onto his clipboard. "So, I'm the 17th Senior Reaper you've requested permission to ask to escort you?"

Numbly, she responded, "Umm, yes sir."

"This isn't a short form. Yet, you've filled it out a whole seventeen times just so that you can go out tomorrow?"

Her head nodded vigorously before she dropped her gaze to the ground. "Yes sir. I'm not permitted to go above with my mentor. They believe him to show me too much favor to trust him with watching me."

"Hmm…" was the only comment he made. Finally looking up from the board, he stated, "You're forms are utterly atrocious." Her face began to fall, but then he added, "But, this is quite a bit of determination on your part… We leave first thing in the morning."

Without another word, he turned and left the shell-shocked girl alone, her wondering what had just happened.

And just as he stated, early the next morning, William knocked sharply on her door, only to have it near immediately open. Shocked, he did not find her in her usual Reaper outfit. She instead stood before him in a plain dress of a dull grey color, with her hair tightly pulled against her head under a blue handkerchief. "Ready!" she chirped, brightly smiling. He quirked a brow, but said nothing, instead choosing to turn and stride away, knowing she would follow.

A few hours later, after darting along on the outskirts of London, Isabella skidded to a stop just outside of an immense manor. Following her closely, William watched as she positioned herself in the cover of the trees, gazing out at the front lawn.

There sat several nobles and ladies, all peacefully talking and chatting at some white lawn tables with various snacks and beverages set out. Running around the adults were two children, one a young blonde girl with pigtails, the other a young boy with pale skin and bright sapphire blue eyes. The boy ran up to one of the adults, a similar looking male, happily yelling, "Father!"

The man easily caught the boy who leapt up into his arms, smiling fondly at his young son. William noted the hair color of the young boy and the father, and his eyes widened at the familiar blue-black color…

"This is your family."

A sad smile graced her lips as she continued to watch the scene. "This is my Uncle and Aunt's manor. They were always so kind to me…" She shook her head, as if to dispel certain thoughts, before smiling more brightly, though it did not reach her eyes. "The little boy is my cousin, Ciel. It's his birthday today! He just turned eight… I love him more than anything…"

He watched the young woman who never looked away from the scene. Though curious about her life, he knew he had no right to press her for information. So, he stayed silent, letting her enjoy this moment's peace.


	3. Her Cousin

**Author's Notes: I should be stockpiling, but I'm feeling guilty for not writing the next chapter on my other story. So, this is to help counteract the guilt. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Her Cousin.**

* * *

Sitting at his desk, Ciel Phantomhive found himself unable to focus. His mind kept drifting, his thoughts scattered. Usually, the eleven-year-old earl has a good grasp over suppressing his emotions, but today proved to be one of those days to test him.

His eye not hidden behind an eye patch kept glancing towards the letter at the corner of his desk as if it were diseased. The words had enraged him, and he could not help but deem them lies. _Filthy, unsupported lies._ A scowl worked its way on his face as he tightly pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

The door to his study opened, and in strode a familiar face. "I have your afternoon tea prepared, my Lord." At the lack of response and the harsh look upon the young Earl's face, the butler's brow furrowed. "Is something the matter?"

Ciel glared coldly at his butler before gesturing towards the letter. With quick strides, his butler headed towards the desk to pick up the paper along with the other contents. After quickly scanning the page, he queried, "Young master, who is this Isabella Lancastor? And why request her death certificate?"

"She is… _was_ my cousin. The daughter of my father's twin sister." He turned his chair to look outside, refusing to meet the butler's gaze. "She died several years ago, and I was told it was in an accident...I believed that, up until recently."

"What do you…" The butler's voice tapered off as he began to look at the enclosed document. "Oh my. That is certainly _not_ an accident."

" _Lies_ …" The earl growled, a dark look coming over his face. "Isabella would never have done such a thing!" He slammed his fists down on his desk, sending papers flying, though he certainly did not care at the moment. His gaze drifted down, his eyes lost in old memories. "She was too kind, too sweet… Never did I not see her smile."

With a chuckle, the butler spoke. "Humans are strange in that sense. Often I've found that those who smile the most on the outside, weep more than others within their hearts…" A devilish smirk grew on his face. "Such bittersweet souls…"

" _She would never have jumped off that bridge!"_ Ciel snarled, looking upon his butler in a rage. "I may have been a child, but I knew her better than that!"

The butler still appeared skeptical, lifting a gloved hand to rest on his chin. "It sounds as if you were close…"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"What _kind hearted_ girl," he asked in a mocking tone, "Would let her _innocent_ little cousin see anything but a smile? You were, what, seven? Seven when she died. Not exactly at an age to expose to the woes of the human heart."

"Enough! I refuse to believe this!" Standing abruptly, he ordered, "Sebastian! Prepare a carriage for London. I need answers."

With a devilish smirk, the butler bowed. "Yes, my Lord…"

* * *

"So, where exactly in London are we headed, my Lord?"

"According to the documents, within hours of finding Isa…" Hesitation. With a shake of his head, the young earl continued. "…the body, her father had it sent to his private physician for the autopsy."

His brows furrowed as he lifted his hand to his chin in thought. "Not a mortician? Did the police even _see_ the body?"

"No," Ciel stiffly responded. "They never even saw the spot where the body was found. I don't even think he filed a police report. The physician took barely a few hours, and she was shipped off to prepare for a funeral after a few hours…if she even had a proper ceremony."

"You did not attend the funeral."

"No one knew about her passing till a week later. Her father claimed to want a 'small, private ceremony.' I remember how furious my father was, though he tried to hide it…"

Noticing how Ciel's attention kept drifting, Sebastian interjected, "Am I correct to assume that _he_ prepared her body?"

The young Earl nodded. "And you are correct to assume that we are heading to him."

Sebastian smirked.

* * *

"Undertaker! I need to speak with you!"

"My, my…" a voice called out from the back room. "What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?" The voice grew steadily louder until a familiar figure stood before them. Clad in heavy, ratty robes, the Undertaker grinned widely, his long messy hair hanging down his back and in his face. Scars could be seen along his face and hands, just adding to the disturbing vibe the strange man gave off.

"I was wondering if you remembered a particular body you prepared around five years ago—"

"This wouldn't happen to be little Isabella, would it?"

The Earl stiffened, and Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "How did you know that my Lord would ask about her?..."

"I assumed he would ask eventually…" he began. "Once the boy became the Head of the Phantomhives, it was only a matter of time before he found out the family secrets."

"What secrets?" Ciel demanded. "Did she truly kill herself?"

"Oh, such a tragic one she had been… even I could not make her pretty in the end." The Undertaker looked sad as he moved about his little shop, messing with various jars on the shelves. "She had been such a sweet girl… Too young for that."

"You knew her?"

A manic grin grew on his face. "She thought me interesting. Many a night, she snuck into London to talk to me. Such an innocent little thing… always smiled to me no matter what type of gore rolled into my shop."

The young Earl seemed disturbed upon this news, not knowing what his cousin could have been doing sneaking off to see the Undertaker. Deciding to stay on track, he questioned, "How did she die?"

"Officially, she leapt off of one of the many London bridges… found washed up along shore of the Thames the next morning," he began, his voice losing its musical tone. "Unofficially, I was given a corpse that had been shot and stabbed so many times that no one who saw it could believe it to be suicide."

"She was murdered…" Sebastian muttered. Glancing at his pained master, he stated, "Perhaps you were right in assuming she didn't kill herself."

"Who… Who would kill Isabella? Who could kill her?..."

The Undertaker spoke, almost as if thinking to himself. "He must have found out…"

"Who?!" Ciel demanded. " _Who_ found out _what_?!"

The strange man stared at the boy before him, noticing the unnatural rage on the little boy's face. "I can tell you the who: Her father. He had been abusing her for years, and when he found out the what…well, you know the rest." He turned away to the shelf, stroking a jaw. "But I won't tell you the what. I won't break her trust, even with her death on this plane…"

"But—!"

" _No_." The anger seemed out of place for the insane man. Neither Ciel nor Sebastian knew what to make of it. "She would not want me to tell you. Now, if you don't mind, please _leave_. There is nothing else to say."

With that, the Undertaker strode away towards the back of the shop without another glance.

Sebastian gazed at his master, who seemed a bit overwhelmed with everything they had learned. "So, what do you wish to do now? Would you like me to demand more answers from him?"

"No…" Ciel muttered with a sigh. "If she told him in confidence, I can respect her wishes. But right now, we have another target."

"Oh?" Sebastian questioned, following after his master as he left the shop. "And what is that?"

Ciel waited at the door of his carriage for Sebastian to open it and help him inside. "Earl Lancastor. Isabella's father. I want him _ruined_." After they were both seated, he lifted his eye patch, he stated, "By my command, I want him to suffer for what happened to Isabella."

Blood red eyes flashed magenta. "Yes, my Lord."

* * *

"Isabella!"

The hybrid stopped, resting a hand on her hip as she glanced back at her friend. "William, what's wrong? I have to go get my assignment—"

"I am taking your assignment," he quickly stated. "You will be taking mine."

Her brow furrowed. "But I was told there would be a demon murder tonight… That's my territory. Why are we switching?"

William looked hesitant, but he finally decided to be blunt. "It's your father, Isabella. Your father is scheduled to die by a demon's hands tonight… and he is being thrown off your bridge."

Her eyes widened, stepping back a bit in shock. "What? Why?!"

With hardened eyes, he replied, "Ciel found out… and he ordered his butler to avenge you."

She felt like she would be sick.


	4. Her Assignment

_**Author's Notes:** _**Okay, so I'm keeping up with this story fairly well. That's a plus! But yeah, I've decided to post hopefully two chapters a week, or at least one if not that many. I need to start working on my drabble series too so we'll see how that goes...**

 **CrazyNeighbor: Aww, thanks! Sorry that I didn't post a response in the last chapter, but I'm glad you are enjoying the story!**

 **SallyCoombs: And heeeeeeeeeeeeere's more! :D**

 **James Birdsong: Oh thank you!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Her Assignment.**

* * *

The past three years since Ciel made the contract had been surprisingly hard on Isabella. Knowing of Ciel's fate had weighed heavily on her shoulders, and though William had been supportive, he often found himself out of depth. When he couldn't help, she went to see her mentor for comfort, and when that fell short, she threw herself into her work.

She rose up in the ranks at a shocking rate. Even with the stigma of her heritage lingering over her, many had begun to overlook it, realizing that she was not, in fact, a 'disgusting soul eater'. Sadly, though, her blood red demon eyes still unnerved some, so she found a simple solution.

A thin strip of lace with ribbons attached to either end: with this, she could tie the lace over her eyes, disallowing others from seeing her eyes while still allowing some sight. William had frowned when she first started this habit, but he never spoke against it. Her mentor never even reacted.

And so, as time passed, her skills grew, as did Ciel's involvement in the Underworld of England. He took to his position as the Queen's Watchdog with a dedicated fierceness, and everywhere he went, his butler left a trail of bodies and souls to be collected.

Souls that fell to her to deal with.

Surprisingly, she found herself tasked with very little demon activity that did not involve the demon butler. Only a few minor demons stealing souls on the outskirts of the country on occasion, which she thought was normal until she broached William on the subject.

"I mean, it's a little shocking. He slaughtered at least fifty of those mobsters- which by the way, I should have gotten back up for that job. _Way_ too much paperwork and film- but not a single lower level demon came scavenging. None!" She crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the desk William was currently working at. "The way the academy described it, I should be getting more of the lesser ones trailing along all this carnage, but nope! I have nothing within the country."

Without even looking up from his paperwork, William bluntly stated, "They're afraid of him."

"Afraid of who? Sebastian?" she asked, her head moving into her usual inquisitive tilt.

"Yes," he muttered. "I assumed he might be an Ancient, and the lack of other demon activity confirms it."

"So… what? He's old. Big deal."

William glanced up at her with a bone-chillingly stern glare. "You need to take this seriously. Ancients are demons that have been around since the beginning. They are cruel, benevolent beasts, who will not hesitate to kill anything that might be a threat. Hence why other less powerful demons steer clear of an Ancient's territory, the land surrounding the Ancient's contact." Worry seeped into his eyes as he pleaded, "Keep your head low, Isabella. One wrong step, and you may be his next target."

She knew what he meant. Stay away from Ciel. But how? Ciel, her precious cousin, caught in the grips of such a creature… seeing the blood and pain brought about by his duty to the Queen broke her heart each time she went on assignment. Death did not bother her, but the corruption of Ciel's soul certainly did. Such a harsh coldness forced into such a young boy… her heart broke each time she went to the manor to collect the souls of the misfortunate ones who dared attack the Earl Phantomhive. All she wanted more than anything was to save him.

If only she knew how.

* * *

"Another day, another reaping…"

Preparing for yet another day, she lifted the thin scrap of lace to her eyes. Tying a secure knot back under her hair, she blinked a few times, adjusting to the lace covering her vision. Unlike other reapers, her vision was not impaired. Her demon blood had insured that. Still, a simple pair of glasses had been assigned to her for watching the Cinematic Records to insure that her eyes would not be damaged over time.

Holstering her scythe on her hip, she made to leave her room, only to open the door and find someone standing on the other side. Blinking, she tilted her head and observed the young blonde Reaper in front of her. _Probably still in the Academy_.

"Oh! You're awake!" he cheerily remarked. "My name is Ronald Knox!"

He stuck his hand out to her, and she could not help but smile at him as she shook his hand. The chipper attitude was rare amongst the Reapers, with the closest in the England division being that Grell Sutcliff… but this kid seemed way less disturbing. "Isabella. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked pleasantly.

"The Board wished to speak to you about an assignment," he replied. "They asked me to retrieve you!"

She could not help but ferally grin. "Well then, lead the way."

With a dramatic bow, he offered his arm. "My Lady?"

"Ha!" she exclaimed while taking his arm. "I am certainly _not_ a lady."

"Well, you're certainly pretty enough to be one."

"Charmer."

The two continued to chat, throwing playful teases back and forth until they reached the Board's room. Ronald gave a whistle. "Can't wait until I graduate and get called here."

"When does your class graduate?"

"Just a few months!"

She grinned. "Well, if you need a sponsor for a field test, be sure to request me."

"Wait, seriously?!" he near shouted. "You would take me?"

Her shoulders shrugged. "If you don't mind a half-demon—"

"Are you kidding me? That's awesome! Besides, who gets to say that their field test was done with a specialist?"

She laughed happily. "Well, just file the proper paperwork, and I will accept it." Stepping away and giving the kid a two-finger salute, she announced. "See ya around, Ronald!"

"You two, Senior Isabella!"

"Just Isabella, kid."

As she entered to approach the Board, she reined her expression back from the large grin, though her usual smile rested on her face. "I was told I have an assignment?"

"Yes," one of the Reapers on the podium in front of her announced. "I assume you have heard of the recent Jack the Ripper killings spreading through London?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Please tell me that someone is finally killing that guy, and I'm reaping him."

"No, not exactly…" Her brow quirked in question while she tilted her head. "We have kept this relatively confidential… but the killings have all been unscheduled deaths."

Her eyes widened. "What? Even demon deaths are recorded—"

"The only explanation can be is that a Reaper, one of our own, is going outside of their jurisdiction and killing off of the To-Die list."

She sighed. "I need to track him or her down, am I correct?"

"The sooner the better."

With a groan, she turned to stride out of the room. "This is gonna be fun...If I end up undercover in a dress, I'm gonna throw a fit."


	5. Her Questions

**_Author's Notes:_ Yay! Another chapter! Hope y'all enjoy~!**

 **Also, on a side note, I just came up with the ending for this story... I should not have this kind of power. But yeah, its gonna probably be a trilogy.**

 **Nicole: Ahh! I'm glad you like it! I had originally developed Isabella for another version of this story, but then I threw the Shinigami aspect into the mix and the plot changed. Isabella is relatively the same, except she has more of a personality in this one. Also, the original story had her meeting Sebastian when she was younger, and Sebastian was kind of a creeper. I have like twelve pages written and I might eventually post them if this story gets popular.**

 **Sally Coombs: Yes. Yes it shall. Things will really be speeding up in the plot now! Be prepared! *cue evil laughter***

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Chapter 5: Her Questions.**

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Today had been an interesting day for the demon butler. Sebastian found himself hovering at the edge of a party, scanning the crowd. His young Master was safe up ahead, having set his eyes on the target, the Viscount Druitt.

He still had trouble not laughing at the dress the boy wore.

Sebastian abruptly drew himself from his inner musings when he noticed a figure striding towards him. A young woman, perhaps in her early twenties or late teens, was approaching, holding two glasses of champagne. The elegant ebony ball gown she wore seemed to almost shimmer in the light, shifting occasionally to a brilliant midnight blue as her skirts swayed on her hips. The front corseted up to just at her breasts, and then her throat and upper arms were covered in a sheer, black material while her forearms were covered in long opera gloves that were surprisingly fingerless.

Her face, however, was near ethereal by human standards. At least, from what little he could see. The top half of her face was obscured by a thin, lace veil that was secured in her hair to drape down over her eyes. Her hair… long, thick strands were messy piled on top of her head in a way that suited her. And the blue-black color was a near perfect match to his young Master's.

"Hello, sir," she stated cheerfully. "How are you this evening?"

Plastering a smile on his face, he nodded his head to her. "I'm wonderful, my Lady."

"Hmm… _liar~_!" she softly stated, causing his face to fall in shock. "I'm annoying you and distracting you from your charge…" She sipped one of the champagnes, aiming her gaze at the young Earl in disguise while flickering her gaze back to him.

Trying to maintain his composure, he responded, "Well, I _am_ her tutor—"

"Bullshit."

His brows shot to his hairline at her sudden, course language. "Excuse me—"

"Tell me," she asked with slight, cat-like head tilt. If it had been any other situation, he would have found the picture she made, the innocent face mixed with her feline nature very alluring, but then she leaned towards his ear and whispered, "Why is Ciel Phantomhive dressed as a young Lady?"

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist as she pulled her face back from his ear. She smiled, obviously amused with his response. Her free arm moved to hand him a glass. "Champagne?"

"What do you want?"

"Honestly?" she stated while pulling her arm free of his grasp. "Your head on a platter." Then she huffed and sat the champagnes down on an empty table to her right. "Sadly, I'm not allowed. So, I want to help Ciel."

His eyes narrowed. "Why? Who are you?"

Her smile grew to a grin. "So many questions… Aren't you the curious little demon, _Sebastian Michaelis_." He did not bother to suppress the snarl in his throat as his eyes flashed dangerously, the magenta showing. "Calm yourself. I don't think Ciel would appreciate you making a scene…"

He then began to notice the dance to coming to an end, and Lady Elizabeth prepared to run across the dance floor towards his master. The woman glanced over to see the young girl, and she hummed in response. "Would you like some help distracting the crowd?"

He glared at her, but with a sigh, nodded.

"Go grab an empty cabinet and as many swords as you can." He shot her a confused look, but she already began to back away. "Hurry, little demon, and meet me at the top of the stairs."

Deciding to humor her, he did as he was told. Soon, he sat the cabinet down and gazed out at the crowd. Ciel was still trying to seduce the Viscount, and the song was beginning to end. Just then, the young woman darted up next to him, moving her hands to his face. "Just in case…"

She quickly removed his glasses and tossed them over her shoulder, much to his irritation, before tying a white mask onto his face.

"Now, time to make some magic!" she stated with a grin. "Care to make a grand entrance?"

And that's how Sebastian found himself jumping down intercept Lady Elizabeth with one arm holding a giant cabinet and the other carrying a bin full of swords. The woman, however, opted to descend the stairs, throwing her arms out to the side while shouting, "Ladies and Gentlemen, its time for the night's entertainment! Prepare for a little magic!"

As she approached him with a purposeful swagger in her hips, he noticed the chains—yes, _chains_ — that she had draped around her like a shawl. "Now, everyone watch while my lovely assistant," she announced while gesturing to Sebastian, "is chained inside of this chest, and survives dozens of swords being thrust inside!" As she pushed him back into the chest, she whispered, "Just dodge, little demon."

He sent her a glare that would make most shrink back in fear.

She just smiled brightly.

Then, the doors were shut, and he listened as the chains were locked around the chest. "Now," she announced. "If I could have a volunteer! You there!"

"Oh, this looks interesting." Lau. This might not end well…

"Now, take these swords and stab the chest wherever you like! Don't be shy!"

"If you insist…"

Were it not for his demonic reflexes, Sebastian would have been dead.

He listened as the chains fell away, and the doors swung open. He plastered on a fake smile and bowed as the humans began to cheer.

As the crowd dispersed, she sauntered over to him. "So?" she asked coyly with a wide smile. "Are you going to answer my question? Why is Ciel in a dress?"

He quirked a brow. "Why should I?"

"I helped distract the humans."

 _Humans? So, as I thought… she isn't human herself._ "You had me stabbed."

"You appear to be fine."

"He aimed at my _head_."

"Well, someone is in a mood…"

He leaned in close to her, a devilish smile on his face. "I am in one _hell_ of a mood."

With a scowl, she scoffed at him. "Oh great, a demon who likes puns. I deserve a raise…" She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "If you are going to be stubborn about the Ripper case, then fine. We won't compare notes." He watched in shock as she began to stride away.

Before he could stop himself, he strode forward and grasped her wrist, turning her to face him. "My Lady…tell me, what is your name?"

He stared at the veil covering her eyes, his curiosity rising. He wanted to see her eyes, to see what reflected back at him. A soft smile formed on her face, and the cat-like tilt of her head returned. "Now, where's the fun in that?"

Swiftly, she twisted from his grip and disappeared off into the crowd.


	6. Her Reunion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Chapter 6: Her Reunion.**

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"Oh, William, you should have seen it!" Isabella declared with a wide grin, spreading her arms wide from where she sat on the edge of the rooftop before flopping back. She propped herself up on her elbows as she continued to grin at her more subdued friend. "Its so much fun to taunt a puppy on a leash…"

The elder Reaper sighed as he glanced over at his cheerful companion. Stiff and straight-backed as usual, he stated "Isabella, my dear, you should not make it a habit to taunt a Demon, whether he be bound to a contract or not."

She shyly ducked her head at the light reprimand, turning her attention to a button on her trench coat. "I couldn't help myself. I honestly meant to just question him, but causing him to react to taunts was just so much fun…" Looking back up with a large smile, she added, "Besides, Ciel even named him after his dog! How could I possibly be serious with him?"

William Spears lifted a brow at that fact. "Truly? Hmm… that is a bit funny…" He began to chuckle.

"See?! I was so tempted to call him little puppy… I settled for little demon. It still got a rise out of him."

"Just be careful, my dear. I don't wish to see you hurt."

"Aww, William!" she teased, jumping to her feet before wrapping her awkward friend in a tight hug. "You do care!"

He stuttered, a faint pink blush dusting his cheeks. "Isabella! This is not proper behavior! We are on duty!"

She lifted a brow, making no move to release him. "So, you would want me to glomp you once our shift is over?" His eyes went wide while his face turned red, and she began to laugh, releasing him. "Wow, you are almost as much fun to tease as the Demon. Chill, William. You're like my brother. Its practically incest."

The Reaper let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God… Please do not scare me like that again."

"I make no promises."

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did so. Then, he straightened his back while adjusting his glasses with his scythe. "Now, focus, _please._ We need to start our search."

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah… I guess the sooner, the better." With a grin, she began to walk backwards. "I bet a week's worth of paperwork that I'll find the bugger first!"

His eyes gleamed behind his glasses as a sinister smirk grew. "Oh really? Well, we shall see…" With that, they both shot in opposite directions, each intent on being the first to find the renegade Reaper.

"Now," Isabella muttered to herself a few minutes later, her feet dashing along the rooftops. "If I was a sociopath Reaper, where would I be…" A scream broke through the air. "That sounds like as good of a start as any."

A few rooftops over, she skidded to a stop to stare in shock with her lace-covered eyes at the sight before her.

Ciel. Ciel was _here_. And his butler, Sebastian Michaelis, remained locked in a battle with a familiar figure with bright red hair… "Goddamnit, Grell…" she muttered. Isabella found herself both surprised and not surprised. Grell had always pushed the rules, but this was just… "Do you have any idea how much paperwork this is gonna be? Thank God I won the bet…"

She focused in on the fight, tracking Grell's brash movements and maneuvers against the Demon butler. While the butler obviously had more skills in fighting than the red head reaper, Grell's chainsaw certainly gave him the advantage. As the rogue Reaper pinned the demon to the wall, her eyes returned to Ciel, who huddled under an oversized coat as a woman in red loomed over him. "Oh no…"

 _Madam Red…_

"You never should have born!" the woman screeched lifting her arm to strike.

So much happened in that moment. Sebastian broke free of Grell. Madam Red hesitated. And Ciel commanded Sebastian to stop. Isabella watched with baited breath as everyone seemed to freeze, suspended in this moment, and she readied herself to swoop down from the rooftop should the need arise to protect Ciel.

The group began to talk, Sebastian backing off with his injured arm. Grell threw accusations at Madam Red, and Isabella finally realized why that Reaper had strayed. "Never thought I would see the day he would stray for a _woman_ …"

"I can't…" Madam Red sobbed, causing Isabella to focus on her. "I can't kill my sister's—"

Her words never finished, as a familiar weapon, Grell's chainsaw, struck through her chest. Isabella tensed, eyes widening in shock at Grell's murder of the woman. "Goddammit…" As the Cinematic Records of Madam Red burst forth from her chest, playing the tragic life of a broken woman, Isabella decide enough was enough. Standing tall, she announced, "Grell Sutcliff!"

All eyes turned up towards her as she drew her death scythe from her hip, holding it out to her side. With a twist of the wrist, the pole extended, and the dual ended sickles popped out. Spinning the scythe once in her fingers, she leapt from the roof to land in a crouch, a small smile resting on her face as she rose to stand. "My, my. You've made quite the mess, Grell."

"Oh, La-La~!"

Her face twisted in displeasure. "Don't call me that."

"Humph." He lifted his chainsaw to rest on his shoulder. "I am your senior, _and_ I've worked _far_ longer than you. I can call you whatever I like!"

"You do realize that you just insinuated that you are old, right?" The red head blanched in horror. "And you forget, Grell- _darling_ ," she stated in a mockingly sweet tone. "Which of us is the specialist _and_ the one charged to subdue you?"

Grell's face fell, and he clutched his chainsaw tightly to his chest. "Oh, this is bad…"

"Who are _you_?"

Her face turned to observe Ciel who stood off to the side. Sebastian flanked the small boy, and she tried her best to suppress her scowl at the butler. Focusing on Ciel, she hoisted her scythe onto her shoulder and stated with a smile, "Apparently tonight, I'm the cleanup crew."

"She was at the party," Sebastian declared, his inquisitive gaze locked on her. "She was the one who came up with the party trick."

"Aww…" she cooed, her head tilting to the side. "Is the little puppy still upset?"

Red eyes flashed magenta, and the butler growled at her. Before he could speak, however, Grell shouted, "No fair, La-La! Bassy is _mine_!"

She scoffed. "Grell, I don't like _dogs._ Besides, I want nothing to do with his type of vermin.."

Sebastian looked absolutely livid and slightly offended, while Grell looked utterly confused, even going as far as to scratch his head. "That's strange, coming from you, La-La."

"Shut it, Sutcliff!" She near screeched, and the butler and child shared a questioning look.

"But you're half—"

Within a flash, she was beside the Reaper and hitting him over the head with her fist. "Not another word out of you! Now, come! We are _leaving_."

"Stop!" Ciel demanded. "Sebastian, do as commanded! Finish killing Jack the Ripper!"

"Yes, my Lord."

Isabella's eyes widened in shock behind the bit of lace tied round her eyes. "I have to take him in for trial. You cannot kill a divine being!" she adamantly shouted.

"Will you stand in my way?" Ciel demanded.

With a pained grimace, she stated, "I cannot let him die."

"Then you shall die as well. Sebastian, I order you…" Her eyes finally focused on the demonic seal, which glowed in the boy's right eye. "Kill Jack the Ripper, and if she interferes, kill her as well!"

"Yes, my Lord…"

Glancing over at the love-struck Reaper next to her as she deepened her fighting stance, she snarled, "Remind me to kick your ass later for this."


	7. Her Reveal

**_Author's Notes:_** **I'm so happy to see this story picking up! Thanks to all of you who have faved and followed~!**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Chapter 7: Her Reveal.**

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What should have been a peaceful night had turned dreadful.

The roaring, mechanical sound echoed through the London streets, mixed with the occasional crash or clang as the revving chainsaw struck against anything that stood in its path. From her perch upon an overlooking rooftop, blood red eyes watched the fight unfold, an amused smirk resting upon her face. One hand remained raised up in the air, slowly twirling her scythe lazily through her fingertips. Legs crossed in an almost provocative manner, she rested an elbow upon her thigh so as to prop up her chin, her eyes never leaving the two fighting on opposite rooftop.

The Reaper and the Demon.

She could almost laugh. A Reaper and a Demon, both fighting to the death while a hybrid of the two species simply watches on. Part of her felt bad for the poor Demon who fell prey to Grell's… attentions, but the vindictive part of her could only enjoy his discomfort. She blamed her vindictive side on the Demon blood.

For the most part, Isabella hung back during the fight. While obligated to save Grell Sutcliff from death, she knew the Reaper could use a good beating. Or, she at least believed him disserving of one, though she would not be allowed to deal out the beating for fear of extra paperwork. So, she decided to wait until the Demon handed Grell his ass on a platter before intervening. Then, only Grell and the hospital staff would have extra paperwork to deal with.

Part of her hoped that Grell would kill the demon, thus releasing Ciel from his contract. Deep down, she knew that wasn't likely to happen, and she only got her hopes up when Sebastian's Cinematic Records temporarily began to play. She knew that this Demon was far more powerful than any normal Shinigami, and even though Grell was much more skilled than any other Reaper (she would never admit that to his face for fear of his ego), he would be no match for this Ancient.

She had watched the Demon over the past few years, and she knew well enough that he was a force to be reckoned with.

Soon, however, the young hybrid was drawn from her thoughts. As Sebastian punched Grell off the rooftop after disarming the Reaper, Isabella's eyes widened in shock as she noticed where the red-haired Reaper would fall.

" _Ciel!"_

Darting off of the rooftop back to the ground, she leaped towards the young Earl and placed a well-aimed kick to the falling Reaper, knocking him away from the startled boy. "Ah, La-La!" Grell cried out as he hit the cobblestone street. "Why did you have to hurt me too?! You don't love me, do you?!"

Though the Reaper continued to cry out in pain to Isabella, she ignored him. Kneeling next to Ciel without thinking, she placed a hand on the boy's cheek, her face etched in worry though her eyes were concealed. "Are you alright, Ciel?"

The boy just stared at her in shock, his body tense. "Who are you?" he whispered. "How do you know my name?"

She smiled sadly, without speaking a word. Noticing Sebastian approach Grell with the Death scythe chainsaw, she put a determined face on and rose from the ground. "I've been passive tonight because Grell really pissed me off and could use a kick in the ass, but I cannot allow you to kill him."

Turning to give her a close-eyed smile, black-clad butler replied almost cheerfully, "I'm sorry, my Lady. But I have my orders."

She tilted her head to the side. "Yes, yes you do." Looking at Ciel, she smiled. "I suggest you call off your little puppy."

With a frown, the young Earl bluntly asked, "And why should I do that?"

"Since your new to knowing about Shinigami, or Grim Reapers in laymen terms, I guess you don't know what a specialist is." Looking back at the butler, her head tilted to the opposite side, observing him. "A specialist is a Reaper who handles the more… how you say... difficult cases." She began to slowly stride around the demon, watching him, circling him like a lioness at hunt. Her eyes glinted mischievously as a small yet sinister smirk rested on her face. "We handle the more difficult souls, the occasional renegade…" She shot a glare at Grell before returning her gaze to Sebastian. "But, most importantly…"

She lifted her death scythe above her head, twirling it at a wicked pace with one hand before leaping into the air towards her target. Her scythe clashed with the chainsaw, and Sebastian gritted in pain as she tilted the longer and easier to wield blade to dig into his neck.

"We slay _demons_."

And, thus, the battle began, with Grell pulling himself along to the side of the alley in pain. Ciel watched as his butler sparred with the Reaper woman, entranced. He had thought Sebastian to be graceful and showy, but this woman equaled in skill. Soon, the fight looked more like a dance than a battle, each ebbing and waning like opposing tides in perfect balance, with only the whirring of the chainsaw and clash of the dual-ended scythe reminding him of the battle occurring.

She dodged and twisted, fighting like a ballerina as she twirled her body round just as much as she twirled her glinting weapon. Sebastian, however, was holding his own, but between his injury and the clunkier weapon, he was at a disadvantage against the more agile opponent.

Ciel was about to call his butler off, when out of nowhere, what looked to be metal shears attached to a long metal pole struck the ground between the two opponents. An almost feral growl emanated from the Reaper woman. "Hey!" The woman shouted up at the roof. "What gives, William? I was winning!"

"William!" Grell cried out, moving away from the wall to look up at the newest arrival. "Oh Will—GAH."

The newest arrival, William, had apparently decided that the best way to land would be to land on Grell's head, smashing the demented Reaper face first into the hard, stone ground. "I should have known you would be the culprit, Grell. How disappointing…"

"William…" Isabella growled, her grip flexing on her scythe while her shoulders tensed. "Seriously. I was doing just fine."

"Yes, you were," he stated simply, adjusting his glasses with his death scythe. "But you know better. You know how it would look if you were to kill him."

Sebastian's brows furrowed. He was not sure if he should be insulted that they assumed him so easy to kill, or curious as to why she could not kill him specifically. From what he knew, a specialist's whole purpose was to control stray demons and keep them away from uncontracted souls. Maybe because he did not actually try to consume a stray soul?... But, his thoughts were put on hold as the newest Reaper turned around to face him and bow.

Using his scythe, William pulled out a small piece of paper from his jacket pocket and extended it to the demon. "My card. I am William T. Spears of the Dispatch Management Division of the Shinigami. My apologies on my associate's behalf. I can guarantee you that he will be properly dealt with." Then, under his breath, he muttered, "Never did I ever expect to have to bow to a noxious beast such as you…"

"Great, formalities out of the way. Now can I kill him?"

William rose up from his bow and sighed, glancing back at the pouting woman. "We need to head back to headquarters." Looking down at the bruised and battered Grell, he sighed. "And there shall be quite a bit of paperwork over this whole mess."

She seemed to brighten, her face lighting up with a genuine smile. "Well, that's not my problem! _I_ won the bet."

William groaned, reaching up to push his glasses aside while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do not remind me…" After readjusting his glasses, he walked over and grabbed Grell by the hair, seemingly deciding to drag the renegade Reaper along.

As her two associates began to leave, the woman twisted her scythe in a way to cause it to collapse back into the small, cylinder shape before reholstering the weapon. Then, she moved to follow, but a pair of small feet rushed forward. As she turned to look behind her, Ciel's hand grabbed her wrist tightly while Sebastian rushed forward in worry. Rage and confusion consumed the young boy's face. "Who are you?!" he demanded, and she could see him fitting the pieces together in his head. " _Tell me!_ "

"Ciel…" she murmured. "I can't—"

"Hurry along, Isabella!"

Her head whipped round, eyes wide with panic. "William!" she snapped angrily, but she felt the hand gripping her wrist let go. Isabella looked back at Ciel, and his face...so many questions lay within those eyes, all mixed with pain. Even the demon butler behind him stared at her in surprise, obviously having pieced together the situation as well.

Slowly backing away, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Ciel…"

Then she turned and ran away.


	8. Her Puppy

**Author's Notes:** **Yay! Another chapter! And this one has a lot of Sebastian and Isabella mingling. Honestly, I really like writing about those two interacting. Its so much fun...**

 **Also, in other news, I'm trying to draw a picture of Isabella for you. Its... coming along...but it ain't looking too pretty. I might just have to wait after exams for when I will be able to paint it. Oh well.**

 **Paradiselost: GAH. You are so sweet! I'm glad you are liking the story! Hopefully, I continue to please~**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Chapter 8: Her Puppy.**

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She could still remember the first few months after Ciel forming his contract. Silent as a shadow, she hovered about the newly rebuilt Phantomhive estate, watching events unfold. Her workload had grown recently due to the Demon, and yet it all seemed centered upon the estate. Enemies of the Phantomhives thought that now would be the perfect time to strike the family, seeing as how only one member remained…

How wrong they were.

Perched in a tree, she watched the Demon butler as he finished off the most recent of attacks, neatly and cleanly killing off the poor bastards. She would admit, his style had become much more refined as the months drug on, his earlier attempts being rather loud and messy. It seemed as if Ciel had finally adjusted the Demon's collar properly.

Watching as he observed the piles of bodies before him, he lifted a hand and adjusted his glove, tugging it further down his wrist. A sadistic smirk grew on his face as he called out. "Hello again, my Lady." Isabella twitched at the butler's voice. "I am unaccustomed to Reapers taking such an interest in a specific place. Does your management not rotate you to various areas?"

Though her body stiffened, she did not reply. He spoke to open air, his eyes not focusing upon her as he scanned the area. He knew she was here, just not specifically where. "Unless, of course, I've warranted this branch's specialist. My, what an honor."

Silence.

He gave a low chuckle. "Anywho, sorry for the mess." Turning to leave, he called out, "Until we meet again, my Lady."

She only started her job once she saw his form disappear within the manor. Leaping down to land within a crouch, she surveyed the bodies around her, trying to remain indifferent to the slaughter that had become routine to her.

"Until we meet again, indeed…"

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"You're taking your vacation days."

Startled from her paperwork, Isabella's gaze snapped up to meet William's. "I don't need a vacation—"

"You have a week off of paperwork due to that bet," he stated crisply while snatching the Ripper files from my hands, "And at _least_ a month's worth of field vacation stored up that you _never_ use."

"Pot meet kettle…" she muttered at his last statement.

He ignored her muttering. "Go see the boy," he ordered, his voice broaching no room for argument. "If the boy is forgiving, stay with him for a while. I will cover for you. If not, go do _something_ to clear your head."

"My head is clear…" she pouted, attempting to reach over the desk and snatch the files back. William simply held them out of reach of her desk, causing her to growl in frustration. "My work is fine—"

"I will not allow you to drown yourself in work as you have done in the past. Go pack now, or I will pack for you."

With that, he strode away from the young hybrid, leaving her with only her thoughts as she leaned against the random bookshelf. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed. She knew he was right. She needed to go see Ciel. She at least needed closure…

With that, she shoved off the wall, intent to go pack clothes. As she walked down the hall, she muttered as realization dawned on her, "Oh, bloody hell… I have to wear more dresses…"

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Later that day, as the sun had just begun to set over the hill, she found herself walking up the path of the old mansion. It looked virtually identical to the old one where she would play as a child, but she knew better. The old one burned down, and this was merely an extraordinary replica.

Her hips swayed as she strode forward, her gaze turning this way and that, while her hands clutched her trunk in front of her. Her dark blue skirts swished to and fro as she walked, and she still had her eyes covered with a simpler version of the veil she wore to the party, attached to her hair rather than tied in place like when she worked. Her hair, though, hung loose, reaching and curling down her back.

The grounds were near silent, in a peaceful way, leaving Isabella to her scattered thoughts as she pondered the best way to go about her current predicament. Soon, though, a young boy with bright blonde hair approached her. "Hello, ma'am! Who are you?" he called out while waving his hand at her.

She smiled brightly, allowing her head to tilt. "Hello to you, too. I was wondering if I could speak to Ciel?"

The boy frowned slightly, staring at her. "Well, the young Master wasn't expecting any guests today, and we're not supposed to let anyone uninvited on the grounds."

She halted in her steps, blinking towards the boy. He looked harmless, but this was the Phantomhive mansion. That and the fact that her work had let her see up close and personally what this boy and the other servants could do. Besides, the boy seemed kind. And he wasn't on the To-Die List. "Well, could you tell him that Isabella would like to speak to him?" she asked politely with a smile. "If he doesn't want to see me, I will leave immediately. I promise."

The boy looked hesitant, but then a voice sternly called out from the entrance to the mansion.

"Finny. Alert the young master to her presence and ask him for orders on what to do. _Now_."

Jumping at the butler's harsh orders, Finny darted back into the mansion, obviously rushing to alert Ciel. Sebastian, however, never took his eyes from her as he strode over to her. She smiled kindly, though she shifted a bit under his intense gaze.

Finally reaching her, he stopped just before her, breeching her personal. "Do I make you…uncomfortable?" he asked with a devilish smirk.

"No," she answered honestly. "I'm just afraid Ciel will turn me away…" Her face turned to the side, a sad frown falling on her features.

"You did leave him to believe you were dead for five years." The butler's words were harsh and clipped. "He is under no obligation to listen to you. You are _nothing_ to him, afterall."

His harsh words did not make her falter, though. She looked back to the butler with a smile. "Better nothing then a tool and a lapdog." A scowl formed on Sebastian's face. She grinned, having finally found an appropriate nerve to poke. "You really do not like the dog references, do you?"

"I hate dogs."

"Too bad, puppy."

His brow twitched.

"Mr. Sebastian!" The young boy stuck his head back out of the front doors to the mansion. "He said to let her into his office, but to watch her!"

"Very well…" Sebastian muttered, still glaring at the infuriating Reaper, who in turn merely smiled with a tilt to her head. "This way, please."

"Unless you've changed the mansion's layout," she stated primly as she trailed after him. "I know how to reach the office."

"And I was also ordered to watch you." With that, he opened the door for her, and made a mockingly polite bow. "My Lady."

Her brow twitched as she glared. "Please, just call me Isabella." With that, she strode past him and quickly made her way through the mansion towards what would now be Ciel's office. Sebastian followed, matching her pace and staying close behind her.

"Well, turnabouts fair play. You refuse to use my name."

"I'm not the one trying to harvest and eat a beloved family member's soul."

"Beloved, hmm?" Sebastian asked with that sadistic smirk of his, not even bothering to look at the Reaper. "Then why abandon him for all these years?"

They had just reached Ciel's office, and she spun on the demon, a rare rage building in her. "You know _nothing_."

"I know that you're hiding something," he stated bluntly. "I know that you are the Reaper who has been hovering about these grounds since I came here with the Young Master. I can recognize your scent." He took a step towards her. "And concerning your scent, I know that for a Reaper…" He leaned in close, causing her to back against the door. His face stopped to hover inches from her ear. "You and your soul smell utterly… _delicious_ …"

In any fighting situation, any _normal_ situation, Isabella often kept her cool quite well. She rarely panicked, she rarely reacted to taunts, and she always either had the upper hand or at the very least, equal playing ground. But, with the demon practically pressed against her front, his hot breath on her ear, she felt completely out of depth.

So, as he turned the knob to the door, aiming to send her crashing backwards, she did the only thing she could think of.

She grabbed his jacket before swinging her leg up to kick him where no male _ever_ likes to be kicked.


	9. Her Explanation

**_Author's Notes:_ Okay, I was gonna post this tomorrow, but I got impatient. So, enjoy!**

 **Also, this is longer than normal... but I like this length so Im gonna aim for this from now on.**

 **ParadiseLost: He will brood. Lots of silent brooding and glares. v_v**

 **Sallycoombs: Glad you liked it~ And here is the next chapter to see what happens... XD**

 **Zoela: Yay! Glad to hear!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Her Explanation.**

* * *

Little Isabella played a game.

Every night for as long as the little eight-year-old could remember, she would come out to her third floor balcony, crawl up onto the ledge, and sit with her legs dangling over the edge. Then, she would talk to the moon, telling her everything she looked forward to the next day. Sometimes, finding something to say would be hard, but she always came up with something.

Yet, this night was different. She sat, her feet hanging limp, her hand lightly holding her stinging cheek. "It's gonna be a bruise tomorrow…" she muttered morosely. She could not think of anything for tomorrow to bring.

Nothing but her Daddy's angry words.

Nothing but his painful slaps.

Nothing but bruises.

She never had a point to the game. She played it every night, and every night she would crawl back onto the balcony to head back to bed. She never won the game. Only stopped it to continue the next day.

"Tonight…" Isabella sadly declared, slowly letting herself slip forward. "Tonight I lose the game."

"Doesn't sound like a fun game to me."

The little girl shrieked, falling backwards onto the hard, stone ground of the balcony. Panicked red eyes looked to the side, only to see an unfamiliar man sitting on the balcony railing, his feet planted on the ground rather than dangling as she had done. Her eyes quickly shifted from panicked to curious as she observed him.

His clothes were strange, a ratty old black robe with a silver chain of lockets hanging off his hip. Long silvery-grey hair hung loose with random little braids throughout it, and a strange black hat sat atop his head. His face remained hidden behind his shaggy bangs, but his wide grin remained visible, along with the remnants of a poorly stitched scar.

Her head tilted as she regarded him, her blue-black hair spilling over her shoulder into her face. "Can I see your eyes?"

Though she didn't think it possible, his grin grew even wider and a hearty chuckle broke through his lips. "Curious little cat, aren't you~? Oh, but your eyes are so much more _interesting_ than mine."

"Daddy says they are devil eyes…" she sadly stated, face tilting down to the ground as she drew her knees to her chest.

"Not quite…" The man's voice had become softer, though she didn't even hear him move, she soon found him right in front of her, tilting her face back up. "Demon eyes they may be, but such a pure soul could even turn a demon soft hearted."

She bit her lip at his kind words. Warily, she asked, "Really?..."

"You may not have a reason to trust me," he stated gravely, but then offering a kind smile, "But I do not believe that your 'Daddy' is deserving of your trust either." Releasing her face, he stepped back. "Try to hold off on that game of yours," he casually stated. "Cause I need to remind the Earl of a certain Phantomhive he's been neglecting."

With that, the strange man leapt up into the air and over the ledge. Isabella rushed forward. "Wait! What's your name mister?"

Rising from a crouch on the ground, completely unharmed from the thirty foot drop, he looked up and grinned at the young girl, bright yellow-green eyes flashing through his bangs. "People call me the Undertaker."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Undertaker," she called out, grinning down at him. "My name is Isabella!"

"And what an honor it is to have met your acquaintance, my little Lady."

* * *

Ciel refused to admit he was nervous.

He was the Head of the Phantomhives, the Queen's Guard Dog. Nervous should not have even been in his vocabulary. But, its not every day that someone you used to idolize, someone you thought so dearly of, returns from the dead in such a manner and after running off, shows up on your doorstep wishing to speak with you.

He was not sure what to make of the situation with Isabella. What would she be like? She had always been the sweet one, doting on him every chance that she got. Most of his childhood, she spent at their mansion, caring for him and playing with him. When she died, everything felt…

 _Wrong_.

So, when he first saw the Reaper woman, he had to mentally berate himself. He kept thinking of every mannerism that she shared with Isabella, every move, every word that matched his beloved cousin. He had to remind himself that she was dead, murdered by her father for a reason yet to be explained.

Now, he sat here, waiting for Sebastian to bring her to his office. And he finally admitted to being nervous.

Voices rose up in the hall, and though he couldn't tell the words, he knew it to be Isabella and Sebastian. He braced himself for her to walk through the door as the handle turned…

… only to watch as she fell backwards, screeching, and dragging a shocked Sebastian down with her.

Ciel watched in shock as she shoved Sebastian off of her, who merely rolled onto his side and groaned, clutching his manhood. As she scrambled off the ground and far away from the demon butler, her cheeks grew enflamed. "Do you not know _anything_ about personal space, you lecher!"

Sebastian merely muttered, "Did you have to kick me that hard? Hell, did you have to kick me at all?!"

"Hey!" she snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "Personal. Space. You broke it! You knew I was uncomfortable! Deal with the consequences!"

At that point, Ciel decided to speak up from his seat at his desk. "Am I interrupting something?"

Isabella stiffened, and she turned her gaze to the small boy, her eyes widening in shock. "Ciel!" With that, she bowed her head. "I'm sorry… I panicked and well…"

"Do not bow," Ciel stated firmly, causing her to look up in shock. "No matter what has occurred, you are still a Phantomhive. You will not bow to me."

The girl looked ready to cry, but from joy rather than sadness. Looking over towards the butler, they watched as he rose from the ground, trying to mask his irritation. "Does this mean I will not have to dispose of the girl?"

"I am right here," she growled, arms crossing over her chest. "And what makes you think that you could take me out, puppy?"

"Stop calling me that."

"Make me."

"Am I going to need to separate you two?" Ciel snapped, causing the demon and the Reaper to snap their attentions back to the young Earl. "I thought I was child here…" Shaking his head, he ordered, "Sebastian, go fetch tea. Earl Grey."

Though the demon seemed reluctant, sending an accusing glare towards the young woman, he bowed. "Yes, my Lord." As he walked out, he added, "Remember to call should you need something."

"I will be fine. Just hurry back." With those words from Ciel, he finally left. The boy, in turn, sighed, resting his face in hand. "I do not know what has gotten into him."

"He doesn't seem appreciative of my company," Isabella replied with a slight smile.

Gesturing towards the chair opposite of his desk, he said, "Please, sit. I am sorry that we could not talk in one of the lounges, but you came while I was in the middle of paper work."

"I'm certainly not complaining," she replied quickly, moving to gracefully drop into the chair. "I honestly did not think I would get this far."

Ciel looked at her in confusion, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes dropped to her lap, and she fidgeted in the chair. "You have every right to hate me. I left you without telling why… I let you believe me dead for so long. Things just… God, this is all such a mess."

"How much can you tell me?"

"All of it. And I will," she replied firmly. "I will tell you everything and answer any questions you have, and should you want me to leave, I will never bother you again."

"Why would I want you to leave?" His gaze dropped to his desk, shuffling through the papers. "Out of all of our family, you cared the most for me. Though my parents loved me, you treated me as if I was your everything."

"Honestly, you were," she replied softly, watching him for a reaction. "In some ways, you still are."

In that moment, the door clicked open. "My Lord, I have the tea. Earl Grey as requested."

The girl perked up, suddenly striding to intercept Sebastian and his teacart. "It smells lovely!" She reached for the teapot, only to have Sebastian try to intercept her.

"My Lady… I can prepare the tea for you. You can sit."

She lightly smacked his hands away from the tea. "I can make it. Go sit, puppy." The demon tried—and failed miserably—to hide his growing irritation while Isabella looked over to Ciel. "Any preference?"

"Extra sugar, as always," he replied, a smirk on his face while he watched the two. Sebastian looked livid, as if he were about to strangle his cousin, while she remained unphased, not even noticing the murderous demon at her side. "Calm yourself, Sebastian. Isabella always prepares the tea. She will not drink it otherwise."

The butler sighed, giving in to the situation, and moved to stand behind the Earl. He watched her carefully though, waiting for her to make some mistake. Eventually, he smirked. "My Lady, you made enough for three people."

She glanced up, her mouth in a perfect 'o' shape. "But there are three of us in the room at the moment."

Sebastian blinked, not having thought of that. "I do not drink tea. Human food is tasteless to me."

Her mouth fell into a small frown. "That's so sad." She turned back to the tea, leaving her unable to see the look of utter shock on the butler's face from the genuine tone behind her words.  
Once the tea had been prepared, she poured Ciel a cup, making sure to add enough sugar, and once she handed it to him, she prepared her own. Sebastian noted the unusual amount of cream added to the drink, and he could not help but raise a brow.

Taking a sip as she sat back down, she glanced to the side, shifting nervously in her seat. "So, where do you want me to start?"

"What are you?"

Ciel glanced up at his butler in confusion. "What do you mean? She is a Reaper, correct?"

Isabella made a sound of amusement, smiling into her cup of tea. "You have a very perceptive puppy, Ciel…" Leaning to the side, she sat the cup on the teacart while continuing to speak. "Yes, I am a Reaper. To become one of the Shinigami without having been born one, I had to give up my humanity through a ceremony and allow my human blood to be turned to Shinigami." Sebastian's brows quirked at the mention of a ceremony, but otherwise remained silent. "However… I am a…how you say… _unique_ recruit."

"Oh?" Sebastian questioned, a curious look on his face as he brought his knuckle to his chin. "And what possibly could that be? You already spoke of how you once were human."

"Actually, I said I gave up what humanity I had. I never said that I was ever fully human to begin with."

Ciel nearly choked on his tea, his sapphire eye wide. "What do you mean? How is that possible?"

"Lancastor was never my real father," she stated dismissively. "My mother apparently had conceived me with something… not so human." She smiled as if she had a funny thought, tilting her head into her hand. "That's one of the reasons why Lancastor hated me so much."

"So, I ask again," Sebastian declared, his red eyes flashing magenta in warning. "What are you?"

She met his gaze through the lace veil over her eyes. "You know, I thought _you_ of all creatures would have figured it out by now."

Her hand reached up, grabbing the clasp of the veil from her hair, uncovering her eyes. When she met the gaze of the two, Ciel's brow furrowed in confusion while Sebastian stiffened. Smiling at her cousin's negligence over the blood red of her eyes, she let her power flare, allowing the familiar magenta slits to show. Ciel gasped in shock as she declared.

"I am a half-demon."


	10. Her Vow

**_Author's Notes:_ AHHH. So many people are following and favoriting this story! It makes me so happy! :D**

 **SallyCoombs: Yep! Things are picking up!**

 **LivingforMe: Ch. 6- I actually didn't read the Campania Arc until after I wrote that chapter. I'm currently working through the manga, and its influencing some future chapters however!  
Ch. 8- YUS. It was my favorite part I've posted so far. Its pure badass mixed with awkward last minute reactions. XD**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Her Vow.**

* * *

Ciel's mind turned faster than he could keep up. His beloved cousin, gone for so long only to return as not only a part of the Shinigami, but as more… All the time she spent caring for him, he never would have guessed. He never would have believed that his sweet cousin could have demon blood in her veins.

But, he had no time to dwell. Because within a flash, Sebastian had a hand in her hair, yanking back her head as he placed three silver knifes to her slender throat. "So…" Isabella drawled with a smirk. "This puppy can bite…" She hissed in pain as Sebastian pulled harder on her hair. Her hands flew up to wrap around his wrist at her neck. "Careful, puppy… puppies may have teeth, but kittens have those and _claws_."

Sebastian grunted in pain as he glanced at his wrist. When she said claws, she literally meant _claws_. "This explains the fingerless gloves…" Each of her nails had morphed into large, curved claws, all deadly sharp and currently slowly digging into his arm.

"It saves on having to buy a new pair every time I decide to play." Her voice was coy, eyes glinting between blood red and bright magenta. "Careful. Puppies may be messy, but a _proper_ butler should _never_ allow the floor to stain with blood…"

"Sebastian!" Ciel snapped, having had even of the display the two put on. "Stand down!"

"In case you have forgotten, my Lord…" His voice is stiff, and he never looked up from glaring daggers at the woman in his grasp. "Our contract states that I am to protect you from _all_ threats, even if they are family…and _especially_ if they are foreign demons…"

"Oh, sod off," she snapped. "I have never consumed a soul, and I have no plans to. Do you think I would be allowed _near_ the Shinigami realm were that not the case? I'm no competition for Ciel's soul!"

His stern gaze faltered, reality of the situation setting in, and finally, Sebastian relented, sighing as he released her hair and stepped back. "My apologies, my Lady…"

With a scowl, she unhooked her claws from his wrist, allowing him to pull his arm back. Glancing at her bloodied hands and the blood stained front of her dress, however, caused her to pout. "Oh, what a mess…"

With a sigh, Ciel ordered, "Sebastian, fetch some towels. You and she may change later after this discussion is over."

"Yes, my Lord." With a glare towards the hybrid, he stormed out of the room, intent on fetching towels as quickly as possible.

"I should have expected that," she stated with a light laugh.

"No, that was completely out of bounds," Ciel snapped. "He should know better. I am terribly sorry, Isabella."

"Ciel, you need to stop looking at his actions from the point of view of a human." She lifted her hand and sniffed the blood on her clawed finger, a curious look on her face as her head tilted and eyes flashed magenta. "Amongst the Shinigami and Demon society, I am the equivalent of a leper. Something to be sneered at from afar. Only, I am a leper that is far more powerful than most. Certainly a threat in most eyes."

"More powerful?... How?"

"When you are turned into a Shinigami, any abilities you previously possessed are heightened, along with your senses and strength, even your personality. It's why most Reapers you meet are either extremely closed off or extremely flamboyant. Mood swings at their finest," she stated with a grin.

"Your strengths as well?..."

"Demons cannot be turned usually because only those who were once human can become of the Shinigami… but I had both human _and_ demon blood. And while only my human blood turned, all of my skills increased…"

Sebastian called out from the doorway. "Including your demonic powers."

She glanced back over her shoulders and grinned. "Apparently, I can rival an Ancient. Best keep on your toes, puppy." That's when a towel smacked her in the face, and she pulled it away to scowl at the demon.

"No worries." He gave her a close-eyed smile that looked both innocent and terrifying. "Though you may have the training of the Shinigami, I highly doubt you've ever had a proper lesson with for your demonic powers."

"I know enough…" she muttered, using the towel to wipe the drying blood from her fingers, which had by now shifted back from claws.

"Oh?" Sebastian asked with a grin, slowly striding toward the little hybrid. "How about fire manipulation? Telekinesis? And I highly doubt you have mastered your animal or your demonic form…"

She pouted at his words until he mentioned her animal forms. "I have my animal form mastered! I can turn into a cat at will!"

"A cat?..." Ciel muttered.

"Can you shift with your clothes?" Sebastian asked knowingly with a brow raised.

"Wait… YOU CAN DO THAT."

Sebastian held back his laughter at the sputtering woman while Ciel looked at them in confusion. "Well, how else would you shift?"

A crimson blush dusted her cheeks while Sebastian happily stated, "It means that she must shift in the nude." Glancing at her slyly, he added, "That can be quite awkward when wanting to get through doors or communicate with others…"

Isabella fumed and made gestures as if to strangle the demon while Ciel blanched. Shaking his head, he sighed. "That is a mental image I _never_ wanted to have… Changing the subject, Isabella." Her attention quickly shifted back to the young Phantomhive boy. "What exactly happened with your father? I know he…abused you… for awhile, but why did he try to murder you?"

"Try isn't exactly the correct term…" she muttered. "According to the Undertaker, I _was_ technically dead. My human self died for about two weeks before my demon half finally finished healing my body enough for me to wake. Even then, I wasn't well enough to move for about another week."

"Hmm…" Sebastian replied. "Impressive." His eyes, though, seemed distrusting of her story, narrowing as he watched the woman continue to speak.

"Thankfully, I didn't rot while 'playing dead' as Undertaker put it. And thanks also to the fact that the Undertaker knew about my demon blood and that I was actually healing." With a shudder, she added, "I do not want to think about waking up immobile in a grave."

"So, that was the secret he refused to tell us," Ciel stated. "That you were of demon blood."

With a nod, she continued. "Once I woke, I was taken by… a certain Reaper I knew to the Shinigami realm. He had been talking of having me join for a while, but we had been waiting. My father finding out my heritage and trying to murder me just sped up the process."

"What were you waiting for?"

She smiled sadly. "I was waiting for you to grow older. I had planned to try and keep involved with the Phantomhive family, with _you_ , after I turned, but things just grew so complicated… By the time things were smoothed over amongst the Shinigami, I felt it better to let you all continue to believe me dead than to drag up the past."

Ciel's brows furrowed. "Smoothed over?..."

"Let me guess," Sebastian interjected with a smirk. "Some of the other Reapers did not take kindly to a demon joining their ranks?"

Her eyes rolled as she sighed and slumped in her seat. "You have no idea… They thought the moment I joined, I would start swallowing every soul I saw. I wasn't even allowed topside without a babysitter!" She pinched the bridge of her nose while continuing. "If William hadn't of caved last minute, I would have missed Ciel's eighth birthday."

"Wait," Ciel asked in confusion. "You were there?!"

"I watched from afar… Never missed a single one, just like I promised!" She smiled brightly at the boy. "William understood how seriously I wanted to keep that promise, and he always did what he could so I would be free to visit…" She looked away, her eyes sad. "I was late that day…" Ciel stiffened, realizing what day she meant. "And a mix-up in the offices filed me as going to complete the job, instead of visiting as I applied for… William found out after I had left and found me there, digging through the wreckage."

"What happened was something neither of us could have fixed," the young Earl stated firmly. "What's done is done."

"Ciel…" she began, her voice hesitant. "As a specialist, any jobs involving demons in the area are directed to me…including any murders committed by a demon." The boy stiffened, his visible eye going wide. "I guess I arrived just after you had left with Sebastian… I was watching the films… I saw…" Tears began to stream down her face. "I was a mess that month, trying to track you down, and to find you in that way, to see what those monsters did—"

" _Stop!_ " His hands slammed down on the desk in front of him, glaring at the teary eyed woman before him. "Just… _stop_. The past is just that. There is no use fussing over things you can't change." His face softened a bit, but kept the same sharp edge to it. "A member of the Phantomhive household should remember that. Never show your weakness, never hesitate. You are a Phantomhive, Isabella. Remember that."

Her head tilted, and she hummed softly, a warm smile growing on her lips. "My, you really are Uncle Vincent's son…" Slight shock resonated in Ciel's eyes, and in that moment, Isabella rose from her seat. "How foolish of me to forget my promise to him, but its time I rectify that."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked as she strode around the desk next to him. He stared up at the taller woman whose playful and happy smile never left her face.

"I swore my life to serve the Phantomhives, to protect the house and any future generations should I live beyond normal human years…" An amused glint flashed in her eyes as Ciel blanched over the implication that his father knew of her demon heritage. "I swore to be a Phantomhive pawn, a knight on the chessboard, for as long as I exist, so long as my trust is not betrayed by the head of household. But you, dear little cousin…."

She fell into a kneeling position, and continued. "I swore to protect _you_ , Ciel, to be your pawn, even if you betray me. I will abandon any others who incur my anger or resentment, but I swear, I shall be your knight and pawn till the end…" Her eyes lifted, the blood red irises meeting his midnight blue. She reached out to him to cup his cheek with one hand as he watched her in shock, while the other brushed his fringe from his face before lifting up his eye patch to reveal his contract seal. "...Earl Phantomhive."


	11. Her Beginnings

**_Author's Notes:_ I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY.**

 **My family came to visit sooner than I expected, so I wasn't able to post. But I'm back! And I shall write a lot this week!**

 **Also, this story's ending is a bit more crack-like than I expected, but hey, it works. And the next few chapters are going to be a bit more serious, exposition driven ones, so this is kind of needed. ^^;**

 **SallyCoombs: Glad you liked that part! I was afraid that it was a little bite serious and people would find it boring. ^^;**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Her Beginnings.**

* * *

Little Isabella sat in her room, quietly humming to herself. Plucking absently at a loose string on her dress, she tried in vain to think of something to pass the time. Her father had forbidden her from leaving the room… he did not want to risk someone seeing the dark bruise on her cheek.

As she had thought would happen two nights ago, the night she met Mr. Undertaker a bruise had formed from the hit. This one had been darker than normal, and the ugly shape was clearly visible, even at a distance.

Sighing, she flopped back onto her bed. Absently, she thought about the strange man who had visited her that night. Mr. Undertaker. She had stopped playing her game as he had requested, but she had to wonder… why?

Isabella trusted very few people. Growing up in her father's household had jaded the young girl. She did not trust her father for fear of his slaps. She did not trust his staff for fear of them speaking to father. She did not trust the men who worked with her father, having had one too many lingering stares from them…

Hell, she didn't even trust the tea sitting on her nightstand.

But she trusted this Mr. Undertaker person. Why? She wished she knew. But…she allowed a small sliver of hope to grow that he could help her in some way. But how could he help her? Could he take her away from this place that had been her prison since birth?

But why would he do that?

And then it clicked. She remembered his voice. It had been so kind, so…caring. She could not remember the last time someone had spoken to her genuinely like that. His mannerisms were strange, but true: he was nothing but himself in front of her. And his eyes… those strange yellow-green eyes seemed to almost glow. They held some quality about them. They were unearthly, inhuman…

Just like hers.

Her father's loud, bellowing voice could be heard from the hallway, cutting off her train of thought. He sounded angry, yelling at whoever had the misfortune of pissing off the burly man. She had seen the carriage arrive just a short while earlier, but she had never seen the visitor's face. All she could assume was that it was a business guest of her father's, because she was not allowed to see anyone with her face like this.

Whoever her father had been yelling at was walking down the hall apparently, and she could hear the opening and slamming shut of various rooms, as if he were searching for something. Finally, a new voice rose amongst her father's, this one unusually calm, sounding like honey mixed with nightshade. "I came to see my dear sister's daughter. I've put it off too long, and I do not feel like waiting any longer."

Her attention peaked, and she quietly darted over to the door. Pressing her ear to the crack in the doorframe, she focused in on the words yet again.

"I've already told you! She is sick and isn't seeing anyone today! And who gave you the right to just come barging in here like this!"

" _I_ gave myself permission, Earl Lancastor. And you know fully well _why_ I can do that."

Just then, the door handle to her room jiggled, and she quickly backed up, forgetting to be quiet, her feet making sound against the hardwood floor. Silence reigned for a second on the other side of the door, and part of her… _feared_ the man might simply pass by her door. Then, the sweet yet deadly voice spoke again. "Isabella, please stand clear of the door."

She did so, and then, a loud thud and crack later, she watched as the door flung open, a foot hanging in air from having busted in the locked door. As the man took a moment to readjust his suit, her eyes widened in recognition.

"You look like my mother…"

Dark brown eyes locked onto her, and for a moment, she saw anger. Fearing that she had caused the anger, she dipped her head low, only glancing up at him through long, blue-black hair. His eyes widened and guilt replaced the anger at her reaction. "She was my twin…"

Isabella looked back up. "So, you are my uncle?"

Stepping forward, he knelt on ground in front of her, placing a hand over his heart while offering a sly smile. "Earl Vincent Phantomhive, my little Lady."

With a grin, she offered a low curtsy, bowing her head as she spoke. "My name is Isabella."

"That is not the proper way to introduce yourself!" Earl Lancastor snapped from the doorway.

Isabella visibly flinched at the harsh words, and Earl Phantomhive's eyes narrowed once again. Tenderly, he reached for her cheek, but she shied away from the touch. "What happened here?"

Her gaze dropped, feeling the angry stare of her father. "I fell…"

"I highly doubt that," her uncle stated with a smirk. "You have the grace of a cat. Cat's always fall on their feet, not their face." Rising to stand, he began to adjust his gloves absently while addressing her father. "You know, I think that _your_ idea to have her come live with me for a few years is splendid, Earl Lancastor."

"What?!" her father snapped. "I said no such thing!"

"Oh really? Because _I_ beg to differ." As he continued to speak, she heard the nightshade in his voice, the poison that gripped you in agony until you fell into the nothingness of death. "And you should know… I am _not_ a man you wish to cross."

For the first time in her life, Isabella saw fear in her father's eyes. Her head tilted slightly, observing him, noting the slight tremor in his hands. And she could not help the feeling of… pleasure at her father's nervous nature.

"Isabella." The honey had returned to the Earl's voice as he looked to her and smiled warmly. "Pack some things. You shall not be returning here."

* * *

"My, my… you really managed to dumbfound the young master, my Lady."

With a scoff, Isabella continued to stride down the hall, the demon butler following closely at her heels. "I can't understand why… I just told him the truth."

"Hmm…" Sebastian sidled up on her right, matching her gait. Though, while he seemed to float along with smooth, long steps as if were gliding on a breeze, she seemed almost as if she were dancing with a feral grace, her hips rolling with each step and her arms swaying loosely at her sides. "Still, I have never known him not to get the last word in."

"He is a bit arrogant now…" she muttered before sighing. "I guess I should have expected that. He really is like Uncle Vincent."

"I would stop bringing up his parents so casually," Sebastian suggested… or more like ordered with a creepy smile. "He does everything in his power to distance himself from them, even refusing to call them anything but his 'predecessors.' I doubt he would wish for you to constantly speak of them so casually."

She spun on him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "See! That's another reason why I do not like you! That is _not_ healthy for him!" Spinning back round, she continued to storm down the hall while raving, the demon butler trailing after while watching her curiously. "Allowing him to have this quest for revenge is bad enough, but not allowing him to heal properly from the trauma…" Her voice fell into a whisper. "It's like setting a bone wrong. It forms a callous and is misshapen, painful, and above all else… more likely to break again."

"Though the new break will be more painful than the last." His voice appeared amused and to the point, only serving to rile her up more. "I will admit that I am curious as to how much pressure he can take before snapping… or shattering. Either sounds interesting."

"You bastard…" she growled, her shoulders tense. Realizing that he was only enjoying her ire, she decided to switch tracks. "You cannot tell me that a broken, sniveling soul tastes better than whole one."

His amused smile dropped into a contemplative frown. Lifting his hand to his chin, he muttered, "I suppose you are correct on that part." Then, he smiled again, slyly glancing at her. "Though, I'm not sure how you would know, considering you have _never_ consumed a soul."

She gave a very unladylike snort. "I'm pretty sure that no one wants a meal that has not only gone sour, but has been thoroughly smashed with a sledgehammer."

"Nice analogy."

"Oh god, I'm comparing my cousin to food…" She had ceased walking at that point, stopping to lean against a wall as she buried her face in hands, shaking. "I screwed up."

He raised a brow. "That is not appropriate language for a lady." She merely groaned loudly and slid to sit on the floor, pulling her legs to her chest and burying her face into her knees. With a sigh, Sebastian stated, "You cannot hold yourself responsible for your cousin's choices. He made the pact with me, and nothing can change that."

"Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it…" she muttered into her knees. After a moment of silence, she suddenly felt herself being lifted into the air, causing her to yelp in surprise. "Put me down!—Oof!"

No sooner had he picked her up that he dropped her right back on the ground, causing her to land harshly on her rear. "A lady should not sit upon the floor," he stated with an amused smirk.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a real ass, puppy?"

"Language, my Lady."

"Go fuck yourself."

Isabella had expected many things from her last comment. She had expected a witty comeback. Maybe a flare of anger or shock. Hell, she even expected no response at all and just a blank stare or the same damn smirk. What she did _not_ expect, however, was for Sebastian to drag her up from the ground, slam her chest first against the wall, and pin her hands above her head with one hand while he pressed up against her from behind.

Leaning close to her ear, brushing the hair away with his free hand while she internally panicked, trying to figure out what in the hell was going on, he whispered in a low, seductive growl, "Well now, my dear… I think I would rather fuck you."

* * *

Ciel Phantomhive sat in his office, his fingers steepled in front of his face while he mulled over Isabella's words. Honestly, from a practical standpoint, he knew the value of having her as a pawn. Strategically, between her and Sebastian, the odds were almost unfairly biased towards him. But, there was one major issue… she was not just a pawn.

She was Isabella.

Isabella. The main constant during his childhood. He grew up with her face always being close by, always caring for him and smiling. When he went outside, she came along to make sure he did not wander off. When he had a nightmare, she was there to make everything better. When he asked his parents for his fifth birthday to make her his big sister, she was there to cry and explain that sometimes tears can be of happiness and joy.

She was not a pawn.

 _She was_ _Isabella_.

But she had always been an enigma, a story that pulled you in yet never fully explained itself, letting the details and plot holes consume you with questions. Now, he finally truly was beginning to understand her, and he refused to ruin that by turning her into one of his disposable pawns. No, she would be a new game entirely on her own, and he planned on winning.

Just then, he heard the sounds of a loud scuffle outside of his office. Jumping up from his seat, he rushed to the door, flinging it open and darting down and around the corner. When looked down the hall though, he did not bother to hide his exasperated groan.

His cousin stood in the center of the hall, her hair a mess, her face red, and her eyes flaring dangerously close to her demon pupils. She cursed and screamed, switching back and forth between English and French—plus a hint of German—all while occasionally kicking the prone form on the ground. And the motionless form on the ground was none other than Sebastian, his nose bloodied and likely broken, his suit a wreck from the attack, and clutching his groin yet again while muttering something about breaking his order to not harm the girl and psychotic half-breeds not being able to take a joke.

Ciel's visible eye twitched as he felt a headache begin to form.


	12. Her Introductions

**_Author's Notes:_ GAH. SO MANY OF YOU PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING THIS. I nearly have forty followers, and I got four reviews since the last chapter! I'm so happy! Hope you guys like this chapter as well...**

 **I Love This (Guest): YOU ARE SUCH A SWEETHEART. I was literally squealing over your kind review! It made my day, and my friend had to deal with me spazzing over it for the next few hours. ^^; I'm glad that You are liking Isabella's personality so far~ I've been worried about how she comes across. And I hope you had a Merry Christmas too! (Yep, I celebrate it)**

 **Riley (Guest): Thanks~! And here is the update! :D**

 **Sad rad fish: Yay! I'm glad you are liking the story so far! Hope I continue to please! ^w^**

 **StorytellerD132: Thank you! And I have so much crap planned for Sebastian to go through to deal with her... I should not be given this kind of power. ._.;**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Her Introductions.**

* * *

An hour later, little Isabella settled herself onto the edge of the carriage bench, tucking her back into the corner. Her blood red eyes watched the Earl… her _uncle_ carefully. He had an elbow resting on the window's ledge, staring out at the passing view while lost in thought.

"I am sorry."

She visibly tensed at his sudden words, but then her head tilted slightly. "For what?"

"For not protecting you." His face turned to her, a soft smile though his eyes were sad. "You are family, yet I left you alone in that place."

She shrugged, acting as if the situation was unimportant. "You thought that me growing up with my father would be fine. How could you know that he would hate me? Besides," she added while glancing out the window. "You had no obligation to come and get me. So… thank you."

The Earl Phantomhive observed the young girl across from him, silently appraising her. For all intents and purposes, she looked exactly like her mother had at her age: same height, same hair, same doe shaped eyes… but the eyes. The eyes were blood red. A shade that Vincent had never seen before. He could understand how others could be frightened of those eyes, especially when they _truly_ looked into the two orbs and saw the depths they held…

That was the biggest difference between his sister and niece. His sister had always been confident, light-hearted, without a care in the world and blind to any of its faults. She later became coy and aloof, with a smirk that could cut a man in half and kindness reserved for but a handful of people… and fortunately, he was one of them. But this girl, this eight-year-old girl had old, ancient eyes, and a wisdom that had gone so far and so deep that her innocent little soul had cracked under the pressure.

Now, after seeing her eyes, he could truly believe the Undertaker's words about her game.

"What was her name?"

Broken from his thoughts, the earl asked, "I apologize… but whose name are you referring to?"

The little girl's gaze fell to her lap, and she mumbled, "My mother's…"

Wide-eyed, he mentally cursed Lancastor again, before cursing himself for having abandoned Isabella for so long. "Victoria. Victoria Phantomhive."

She grinned. "My mother was named after the queen."

"Oh yes," Vincent replied with a chuckle. "She was very proud of that too…"

Conversation drifted away, and a comfortable silence fell over the pair. Isabella had unpressed herself from the corner of the carriage, and she sat properly on the bench, her short legs swinging slightly under her blue skirts. Mentally, Vincent made a note to contact a seamstress for the young girl: most of her dresses were either cheap or ones she had long since outgrown. Certainly _not_ the proper attire for _his_ niece.

"So…" The child began, breaking the silence. "Was Mr. Undertaker the one to tell you about my father?"

A smirk grew on the Earl's face as he observed the curious, eagerness resting in the young girl's unusual eyes. "You know, most your age would be terrified of him." She ducked her head, and he chuckled in amusement. "We are actually on the way to his shop. He wished to see you once I fetched you."

The happy little squeal and smile on Isabella's face turned his smirk into a genuine smile.

* * *

Sebastian was conflicted.

On one side, he felt ashamed of his earlier behavior. His actions were _far_ from proper for any butler, certainly one of the Phantomhive household. And to proposition his young Master's beloved _cousin_. Any normal butler would be fearing for their lives.

But, Sebastian was _far_ from normal.

" _What_ were you _thinking_?" Ciel venomously hissed. After Ciel had broken the two apart, he had dismissed Isabella to wander the halls and ordered Sebastian to his office.

The demon butler stood straight backed in front of the Earl's desk, trying his hardest to suppress a smirk. "I was thinking as a demon, my Lord."

His exposed eye narrowed dangerously as he leaned forward in his chair. "Explain."

"I am, how you say, of demon aristocracy," Sebastian began, a smirk finally working onto his mouth. "Demons of higher power are feared and given a greater respect from other demons."

Understanding began to form on Ciel's face. "Isabella is part demon, and she neither fears nor respects you."

"Vehemently so," Sebastian responded with a sigh. "Even though she _knows_ that I am more powerful than her, she simply does not care."

"But what does that have to do with you constantly harassing her?"

A familiarly creepy close-eyed smile formed on Sebastian's face. "While she is not as powerful as me, she is certainly more powerful than most…" His smile settled into a simpler smirk. "And amongst demons, power is attractive… and it does not hurt that she looks fairly nice."

Ciel deadpanned, his face twisting in disgust. "You _are_ serious: you want to sleep with Isabella."

The butler's brows furrowed. "But of course. Why else would I have pursued her?"

"To mess with her."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you are an asshole, Sebastian."

"Language, young Master."

* * *

"Stupid demon…" Storming down the hall, Isabella fumed. _Twice_ within the same hour, that lecher of a butler shoved himself into her personal space, purposefully drawing her ire. And she did not understand _why_ he felt the need to do any of that! Was it a dominance issue with demons? Did her refusal to cower make her a threat?

Even more so than his wandering hands, his reactions were what confused her. When she lashed out both times, he did not even attempt to defend himself. She knew better: fighting him, she was out of her league. The only reason she had the upper hand during their fight over the Ripper case was because he had already been injured by Grell's scythe. Even then, he could have easily taken her if he had taken his true form…

She did _not_ want to fight him like that.

Wandering down the familiar path, Isabella soon found herself entering the mansion kitchen. Though the space looked the same, she could see many more modern pieces of equipment, a sign of the space being updated since the rebuild unlike the rest of the mansion, which remained an exact replica. Still, Ciel probably did not come here anymore, so she could understand why he would be uncaring of renovations to this room.

Deciding to snoop through the food, she headed over towards the nearest pantry, intent on finding something to inspire a meal for her to cook. Though, only a few minutes into her search, several loud voices came from the hall.

" _Sebastian!"_

In ran three servants, one being the young gardener boy from earlier, and the other two being a red haired maid with oversized glasses sitting her face and the last being a tall, blond haired man dressed as a chef with a cigar sitting in his mouth. They all slid to a stop upon seeing her in the kitchen. With a kind smile, she stated, "Oh, hello there! You must be the rest of the staff."

"Oi!" the man in the chef's outfit snapped, his arms crossing over his chest. "Who the hell are you?"

"Bard! Be polite!" the maid screeched. Then, in a panicked whisper, she asked him, "What if she is a guest?!"

The boy's face lit up in recognition. "Oh! Miss Isabella! You are the lady from earlier who came to see the Young Master!"

"Yep, that's me." Shutting the door to the pantry, she moved over to the counter to lean forward against it, propping an elbow on the space and resting her face in her hand. "Your name was Finny, right?"

"Yes ma'am!" he chirped with a happy smile.

"Oh please, just call me Isabella," she remarked. "I'm not nearly old enough to be a ma'am."

"Well, Isabella, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" the man with the cigar accused, causing the maid to get flustered and panicked again.

Her kind smile grew into a sly smirk. "Well, originally I was going to cook something for Ciel, but now that I've run into you three, I have some _questions_." They all stiffened and the man's eyes narrowed, causing Isabella to laugh. "Good, you don't trust me. Perfect for servants of the Earl Phantomhive…" Sauntering around the counter, "Now, I don't want any 'Phantomhive secrets' or anything. Just wanted to know your names and your jobs here."

Tension leaving the three, the maid spoke up for the group. "Oh, well, my name is Mey-Rin, and I'm the maid here. This here is Bard-" She pointed towards the man with the cigar. "-and he is the chef, yes. And you've already met Finny who is the gardener!"

"Hmm… so you are the only servants?" Isabella asked, letting her head tilt to the side as her brow furrowed.

"Well, there is Mr. Tanaka!" Finny piped in.

Isabella's eyes lit up, and she happily declared, "Tanaka is still here?! Oh, that's simply wonderful!"

"Umm, I'm sorry to be so forward, miss," Mey-Rin hesitantly stated. "But what is your relation to the Young Master?..."

Isabella grinned before moving to resume her search of the kitchen. When she finally spoke, her tone was aloof with a playful and teasing edge. "Oh, no one really. I am just his cousin."

Exclamations of shock came from them all, but before they could question her further, a new voice interrupted and caused them to nearly jump out of their skins. " _What_ are you all doing in here?"


	13. Her Curiosity

**_Author's Notes:_ OH WOW. There are so many of you following this story now! I'm so excited! And I'm loving the reviews guys! You're all amazing!**

 **On a side note, I'm heading home for the week, so the next chapter won't be till a week from today. Sorry! I need to stockpile soon.**

 **Sad Rad Fish: AHH. DON'T FALL. But seriously! Thank you! I'm so glad that you are liking my story so much!**

 **Guest: Oh, perfect timing! I'm glad that worked out! And thank you! Everyone really liked that chapter it seems. Poor Sebastian. Everyone loves your pain. v_v**

 **Darkangelynn5: Oh thank you! Honestly, I don't know how the funny bits get worked in here. I just have a basic idea for the chapter, write, and then realize that crack invaded my chapters. XD**

 **Mystirica18: You're so sweet! And sorry for the wait, but here is the next one! Its a bit more serious though.**

 **StorytellerD132: So true. And Ciel is going to have to put up with a lot of crap from these two, poor thing. And yeah... I'm gonna have to hide from Sebastian as this story progresses. Maybe I should just sic Grell on him. XD**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Her Curiosity.**

* * *

Hesitantly stepping from the carriage, little Isabella's eyes widened as she took in the shop in front of her. The dingy, run down shop held a creepy vibe with the large sign reading "Undertaker" not helping to detract from said vibe. However, the girl was not disturbed in the least bit. She merely glanced around the alley with wide, curious eyes, taking in all the sites.

"You are a strange one."

She spun around, watching her uncle as he exited the carriage with a bemused look at her. With a huff, she turned back to the shop with a pout. "I don't get out much… forgive me for getting excited." Then, after nervously shifting her feet, she muttered, "Besides, I _liked_ the Undertaker… and I need to thank him."

Vincent silently appraised the girl who glanced back at him apprehensively, deciding to nod his head at the shop for her to proceed. Her face instantly brightened, and she darted towards the door to barrel inside. Chuckling lightly, he quickly strode after the girl.

Once inside, he found her gazing around the room with unhindered curiosity and awe. While any normal person would be at the very least uneasy from the coffins sitting all around the room and the murky jars resting on the shelves, she took it all in stride while even he sometimes found himself uneasy by the Undertaker's eccentric shop.

But then again, she was not even uneasy around the Undertaker himself.

Calling out, Vincent proclaimed, "Undertaker! May I have a moment of your time?"

" _He, he, hee~…_ " The eerie laugh seemed to reverberate throughout the room, causing Isabella to glance around wildly. Vincent, more accustomed to the antics of his old friend, simply strode to a particular coffin leaning against the wall and swung open the door. There, he found the Undertaker, grinning wildly. "Hello, Earl…"

"Mr. Undertaker!" Isabella happily cheered, darting over towards the strange man in the coffin and wrapping her arms around his legs. She smiled up at him before announcing, "Thank you! Thank you for finding my uncle!"

A rare emotion of shock passed over the Undertaker's face before slipping back into the usual grin. Reaching down to pat the young child on the head, he simply replied, "But of course, my Little Lady! You weren't quite ready to be taking up that job yet, anyway."

Her head tilted as her brows knitted in confusion. "Job? What job?"

The Earl gave the strange man a similar look, asking the Undertaker silently to explain. The man grinned even wider. "If Isabella had finished her game, well… she would have become an _extremely_ young Shinigami."

* * *

Her blood red eyes narrowed, and Isabella turned from the three servants to face the demon butler, matching his blank yet dangerous stare. "They were speaking with _me_." Sauntering over to him, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down while he smirked in amusement. "In case you have forgotten, I am a bit out of the loop as far as the mansion's defenses over the past few years, so I need to be updated."

The three gawked at the young woman, both over her mention of their involvement in the defense of the mansion and her threatening tone used with Sebastian. A chill shuddered down their spines as the butler smiled at the young woman, leaning in dangerously close as she did not even flinch. "You should not concern yourself with such trifling matters… _my Lady_."

"My concerns are my own." Her voice spoke softly, barely above a whisper, but the edge to her tone, the fierce glint in her eyes, brought fear to the three human occupants. In these tense moments, the room seemed to grow heavy, neither of the otherworldly beings seeming anywhere ready to back down.

The brownish-crimson eyes of the demon butler glanced to the side, finally looking towards the three servants. When he spoke, his command was short and simple, yet carried a deep foreboding warning that could leave any mortal trembling in fear.

 _"Leave."_

Sparing Isabella one last concerned look, the others all but sprinted out of the kitchen, all while fearing for the fate of their Young Master's cousin. Once the room had been vacated, his eyes settled back onto the hybrid before him who had yet to move an inch during his threat. Yet again, he acknowledged those blood red irises, ones so much more noticeably red than even his. She stared him down without a hint of fear or hesitation. He felt as if he should be insulted, but her gaze merely sent a thrill down his spine.

"Why do you not fear me?"

"Why should I?"

His eyes widened in shock. No pause, no moment to think for her response. It simply rolled off the tip of her tongue as if the thought were as natural as breathing. Lifting his gloved hand slowly, he brought it up to wrap around her slender throat, covering the smooth, porcelain flesh. The icy _cold_ flesh that reminded him much of a long dead corpse. "I could end you. End this perverse existence you Reapers call life, and I would never feel a hint of remorse."

Her head tilted innocently, still holding no fear in her eyes. "Then should it not be Death that I fear? To take my life, to bring me to Death?" A soft smile found a way to her lips, and her voice tinged with light laughter. "How can I fear what I've already embraced?"

Among otherworldly beings, an unspoken knowledge had been passed about the origins of the Shinigami. Though never acknowledged, others found it almost taboo to speak on the subject of how they came to be. All of their kind had at one point been human. All had been born, lived, only to die in a… _specific_ manner. The manner of their death, however, would be by their own hand.

Suicide.

For a human to kill him or herself is considered a crime by the higher powers that be. So, as punishment for the transgression, they are forced to act as Shinigami, Death Gods, to see and be immersed in Death's hold, to act upon Death's beck and call amongst the living world as silent observers until they perform an act to redeem their souls. Then, and only then, may they pass on to heaven.

His hand tightened as she spoke, her words stunning him again just as her fear refused to show. She did not fear him, because she did not fear Death. She embraced that particular darkness and willingly served the higher power without doubt to the fate she had fallen into. "So, you did become of the Shinigami by the regular means. Earlier with the Young Master, you claimed you went through a ceremony?"

"I may be only half-demon," she began, her voice steady, and her tone clipped. "But I am still hard to kill, or at least, I became harder to kill the more I aged. If I had died as I was supposed to…" She grinned, shaking her head as if to dispel that train of thought. "After my…'death' at my father's hand, I felt that I should stop delaying the inevitable. My Uncle and cousin believed me dead while the Undertaker hid my barely living body, which left me with nothing to hold me back. So, I performed _Mors Ultima_ : a Final Death ceremony upon myself."

He sneered at her. " _Why_ would you do that? Why risk dying permanently just to become of the Shinigami?"

A small smirk formed on her lips as she spoke a word that nearly stopped his false heart. "Curiosity…"

He could not help himself. He laughed. A deep, sultry laugh that rumbled through his chest. The sheer madness of this woman's… no, this _girl's_ life amused him to no end. "Ah, my Lady," he purred, leaning in towards her so closely she could feel his cold breath upon her face. "Curiosity killed the cat…"

Her smirk grew. Lifting her hands to delicately grasp the wrist of his gloved hand still encompassing her throat, she pulled herself up onto her toes, leaning her face even closer to the demon before her. "And satisfaction brought it back…"

The excited glint in her eyes told him everything. This being, this young girl had nothing to lose. Torn between her undisciplined demon nature and her tortured soul of a Shinigmai, she danced with the Devil and Death. This is a being who would take glee in the chaos left in her wake from teasing and taunting the two entities, not caring for the repercussions. The feline nature of her inner demon mixed with her lack of trust in others due to her horrid childhood led her to care for few and protect even less.

The only one she would risk herself for sat just a few floors above them, pouring over papers and documents whilst completely unaware of how close his two most powerful pawns were to striking out at each other. Sebastian had always known himself to be a knight on Ciel Phantomhive's chessboard, and now, he had finally met the other. And, _oh_ , did he approve of her. The perfect complementary piece to him for this dangerous game Ciel played. She stood bravely before him, ready to throw down her life just to test how far she can push the Ancient demon before her.

Just out of _curiosity_.

His eyes flashed a brilliant magenta, his demonic nature flaring while he grinned at her. Oh, what fun he shall have…


	14. Her Home

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I hit a bit of writer's block for this chapter. I have trouble writing filler chapters... But yeah, this one is kind of short, so I will try to have the next one up mid week!**

 **Darkangelynn5: I honestly did not mean for this to get so borderline with the rating. I'm trying my hardest not to bump the rating, but these two... I dug myself my own grave with them. I've never wrote something so close to a M rating before. ^^;**

 **SallyCoombs: THANK YOU. AND HERE IS MOOOOORE.**

 **ThePinkyNinja: I'm sorry for the cut off on the chapter! But I'm back! And here is the next little bit!**

 **Guest: Aww thank you!**

 **StoryTellerD132: All the kinds of fun you would expect of our devilish demon. v_v**

 **Grell is going to be** ** _heavily_** **involved in some of the later chapters, but he causes poor Isabella more grief and William. (Will basically dumps the psycho onto the poor girl). XD And EEK. I am** ** _so_** **not qualified for Aphrodite's job. I have no idea what I'm doing right now. O_O;**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Her Home.**

* * *

Stepping out of the carriage, she could feel her heart drop into her stomach. The gorgeous Phantomhive Manor stood proudly before her, looking infinitely more grand and regal than her eight-year-old mind could comprehend.

Glancing back over her shoulder at her uncle, her nerves and anxiety must have been clear on her face, causing him to laugh lightly at her expense. "It might be a bit much at first, Isabella, but I hope you will like your new home."

At the word home, her eyes widened as the situation dawned on her. _Home_. Never had she felt like her father's mansion had been a home. Could this place actually be a home?

Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, Vincent nudged her forward, leading her up the steps and into the manor. At the top of the steps, an elderly butler awaited them. Her head tilted as she observed the man, who in turn smiled kindly to her while bowing slightly. "Hello, my Lady. Welcome to Phantomhive Manor."

Before she could respond, the butler opened the doors wide, and Vincent tugged her inside. Immediately, Isabella found herself greeted by spacious and grand foyer, making her feel immensely small in comparison. Smirking beside the young girl, Vincent casually asked, "Do you like it?"

Isabella numbly nodded her head.

"Good." Turning towards the butler, Vincent remarked, "Have her luggage carried to a room in the family wing. I would not unpack it yet in case she wishes for a different room. Oh, and call a seamstress. She desperately needs a new wardrobe."

With a bow, the butler replied, "Of course, my Lord."

Vincent then began to head for the stairs, motioning Isabella to follow. As the butler began to leave, however, Isabella called out, "Wait! What is your name?"

Pausing before giving the young girl another warm, grandfatherly smile, the man replied, "My name is Tanaka, little Lady."

With a curtsey and a wide grin, she responded, "My name is Isabella. A pleasure to meet you!" With that, she scurried off after her uncle, who watched in amusement from the stairs. As they continued on, Isabella tilted her head in curiosity. "So, where are we going?"

Smiling at the child next to him, Vincent stated, "First, I am going to introduce you to my wife and her sister."

"Your wife?..." Isabella asked worriedly, eyes wide. "Will she be okay with me being here?"

Offering the girl an encouraging smile, he replied, "She will love you, I am sure of it—"

Suddenly, a door down the hall burst open, breaking the Earl and his niece from their conversation. Striding out the door came a woman clad in red from head to toe with equally fiery red hair braided and pulled back atop her head. She looked down the hall, locking eyes with the Earl. "Rachel has gone into labor. Congratulations, Vincent: You are about to become a father." With that said, she turned and strode back into the room, shutting the doors behind her.

As the woman returned to the room, the Earl looked down at his niece who stood, mouth hanging open. "Well, that's one way to meet Angelina, my wife's sister. Most people call her Madam Red."

Isabella remained silent for a few more moments, before whispering in slight awe. "She is _really_ pretty…"

* * *

Stepping back from the demon butler before her, Isabella gave a pointed look at the hand still clasping her throat. "Ciel would not be pleased of a repeat performance of earlier. And, I do believe I have enough blood staining my dress."

Still smirking, Sebastian released her throat, allowing his fingers to trail down to the hollow of her neck before withdrawing his hand. "Correct you are, my Lady…" Turning on his heel, he called out over his shoulder, "Young master wishes for you to change into one of your old gowns in your room." Pausing, he glanced back towards her. "Care for some assistance?"

"In your dreams, puppy," she haughtily replied, breezing past him and down the hall.

"Oh, if only I could dream…" Trailing after her as she navigated the mansion, seemingly having the place easily memorized, he eventually began to speak again. "Young Master had your belongings returned to your old room after the… incident with Earl Lancastor."

A small smile graced her lips. "Such a sentimental boy, though he would never admit it."

"Yes, he is, isn't he?" Sebastian replied in an amused tone. "He still baffles me sometimes, such as when he brought Madam Red one of her favorite scarlet gowns to her funeral."

Isabella's steps faltered. "Her funeral…"

"I take it you still have not accepted the woman's death? So strange for one of the Shinigami."

"She was personal," she replied numbly. "My first personal death to collect. William always said those would be the hardest." She barked out a hollow laugh. "Doesn't help that I tend to bury my pain rather than face it."

"Hmm…" He added nothing further, just simply stared at her, as if he were looking into her very soul.

 _He probably is…_ shaking her head to dispel the thought, she continued onwards. "Anyway, what shocks me most is the fact that my father kept my belongings in the first place."

"Two issues," Sebastian remarked, holding up two gloved fingers. "One: the Young Master has forbidden anyone from referring to the Earl Lancastor as your kin. You are a Phantomhive, and he will have nothing less." Isabella's eyes widened in shock as the butler continued, lowering a finger to leave one remaining up. "Two, as far as Lancastor keeping your belongings, it was more like he could not get rid of them. Your door was sealed off, and no amount of strength could bust it open. I had to acquire the proper spell to break the seal placed upon it."

"Spell?!" Isabella asked incredulously. "Seal?! _What_ are you talking about?"

His eyes cutting to her, he lifted a hand to hold his chin as he pondered aloud. "So, you were not involved in the magic? But, it was without a doubt of the Shinigami…"

She tensed, having come to a conclusion. "Oh, _he_ must have sealed it." Hurrying down the hall, she refused to make eye contact with the demon intently staring at her. Finally making it to the family hall, she huffed and muttered, "My mentor, okay? I knew him before I died, and he must have set the seal to protect my things should I return for them. I will _not_ elaborate any further."

With that, she came to a halt outside a familiar set of doors. With a sudden rush of exuberance, she swung open the doors, revealing her old space. Pale white walls greeted her, with trimmings of sapphire blues and silvers. The furniture appeared carved of a darker oak, one with an almost ebony sheen, and the comforters and pillows on her bed were a beautiful shade of midnight blue.

Dashing forward, she flung herself onto the plush bed with a musical laugh. Rolling over, her long bluish-black locks falling loose and splaying around her, Sebastian intently watched as she arched her back, stretching with an almost feline grace.

Noticing her audience, Isabella scowled and sat upright. "You can leave now, puppy."

A devious smirk growing on his lips, he sinfully asked, "Are you _sure_ you will not be needing _assistance_ … my Lady…"

Her cheeks grew enflamed at the way he stared at her hungrily, as if he could devour her on the spot. "Yes. I am _quite_ fine. Now, _leave_."

"But of course, my Lady…" With one last dark chuckle, he closed the door, leaving nothing but the sounds of his soft footsteps as he retreated down the hall.

Waiting till the footsteps were gone, she collapsed back on the bed, the rush of blood from her beating heart flooding her ears. "Stupid butler…" Rolling back off the bed, she decided to make her way to her wardrobe, wondering if any of her old dresses would still fit.

That's when she noticed it. Pausing, she gazed over towards the old desk in the corner of the room, seeing a familiar case sitting atop it. Taking quick strides, she unlatched it, lifting the lid with a pleased smile upon seeing the contents.

"Hello, old friend…"


	15. Her Sanity

**_Author's Notes:_ GAH. I was supposed to post this last night, but my internet went out. *pouts***

 **Anyway, things are a bit slow in this and the next chapter, but everything will pick up from there on out! I just needed to develop some things first.**

 **RoxyGirl (Guest): Ahhh! I'm glad you reviewed! and I'm glad you are liking the story. Yeah, Isabella had weird timing with that. I wanted to add it, but soon I'm gonna start speeding through her childhood at the Phantomhives. I just wanted to make sure her initial time with them was emphasized. And I hope to hear from you again!**

 **ThePinkyNinja: And now you shall find out! Also, I'm sorry. I'm prone to cliffhangers ranging from small to huge. I'm kind of mean that way with my writing. ^^;**

 **Feoreldia: Awww, thanks! And here is the update!**

 **VoldemortsBFF: First off, I love your UserName. XDDDD**

 **Secondly, yay! I'm glad you are liking the writing so much! That makes me happy~**

 **I really plan to emphasize on relationship developments as the story progresses. Of course Sebastian is going to be the big one, but her relationship with William is going to be huge. He is basically the only healthy/stable relationship she is gonna have, so I really plan to emphasize on it soon... very soon... Be prepared for sibling bonding! :D**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Her Sanity.**

* * *

Shifting hesitantly in her seat, little Isabella kept her eyes firmly locked on the ground. Her fingers tightly clenched the edge of the chair, and nerves shot up and down her spine.

A little over two hours ago, her Aunt—Rachel was apparently her name—went into labor.

About ten minutes ago, the pretty red lady called her Uncle Vincent into the room.

Now, she just sat here, numbly waiting for someone to come get her. She began to think that it was a mistake to come with her Uncle. He already had a family— a pretty sister-in-law, a pretty wife (judging by the sister, she _must_ be pretty), and _now_ he had a child of his own.

He did not need a useless half-demon child.

Before her thoughts could become more glum, a voice called her name. Glancing up, she saw the pretty red lady, who smiled kindly though her eyes were clearly fatigued from assisting with the labor. Uncle Vincent had mentioned she was a doctor…

"Would you like to come see your little cousin?"

Her eyes widened a faction, before she quickly ducked her head, shaking it 'no.'

The lady seemed genuinely surprised. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Tears threatened to form in the girl's eyes, and she just looked up at the woman sadly. "Can't. I just…can't." Choking back a sob, she looked back at the ground. "Uncle Vincent has a nice, happy family. I can't ruin that. I should go."

The woman kneeled in front of the girl, gently taking her chin and lifting it to meet her eyes. Locking eyes with the pretty red lady, Isabella saw sorrow within them, though outwardly she smiled. "You yearn for what they have, wish to be jealous of their happiness, but you can't, can you? You can't be mad or resent family you care about." Tears flowed freely down Isabella's face as she continued. "Looks like I found myself a kindred spirit…"

Finally sobbing, Isabella threw her arms around Madam Red's neck, shaking slightly while burying her face into the woman's shoulder. "Now, now, none of that…" the lady shushed. Isabella faintly heard the sound of a door opening, before Madam Red spoke to whoever stood in the doorway. "Her cheek is hurting; I'm going to go see if I can find something to help. She can see little Ciel later."

Lifting the small girl with ease, Madam Red began to head down the hall. Isabella buried her face deeper into the woman's shoulder, not wanting to see who was at the door… she was sure it was her Uncle.

After a brief walk, the pair found themselves in a guest room rather close to the family wing. Sitting the now tearless girl on the bed, she announced, "Now then, let's see if I have something to make that bruise feel better!"

* * *

His Young Master was restless.

It had been a little over a week since his order to take care of Earl Lancastor, and Sebastian could easily tell that his Earl's mind was focused elsewhere. All of his works and daily routines were completed with passable efficiency, but the spark in the boy's eyes seemed dimmed. Even his usual emotional defense of cold cruelty towards those around him was nonexistent.

And now, here Sebastian stood, staring at his pocket-watch. Ciel had demanded his violin lessons resume today, and told his butler to wait for him in the parlor while he went to fetch something. That had been nearly half an hour ago…

Suddenly, the parlor doors opened, and in strode Ciel, carrying a handful of crumpled papers in front of him. Thrusting the papers to the demon, he stated, "I shall be learning to play this."

Wariness in his gaze, Sebastian took the papers from him, shifting through the pages carefully. "This is quite the complicated piece, Young Master…"

And indeed it was. Hastily scrawled notes littered the pages, denoting a melody that even Sebastian could find a challenge to play. But, considering over the notes, imagining the sounds, he saw before him a melody that would make the masters of the craft weep.

Part of the melody seemed simple enough: a duet for two violins, the base of the duet was a difficult, yet manageable repetition of notes that in and of its self could be a pleasant tune. The main part, however…

The notes started slow and balanced, portraying beautiful lullaby tone that could draw the listener in like a siren call. But, the song quickly evolves. Lullaby tones turn darker, notes become sharper, jumping up and down scales in an almost riveting way. Growing and spiraling like a descent into madness, the piece screamed of power and allure…

Sebastian was looking at a masterpiece.

"I only wish to learn the second part," Ciel sharply stated, drawing Sebastian's gaze back from the piece. " _No one_ is allowed to play the first part."

Startled by the sudden severity of his Young Master after the week long daze, Sebastian could only think to ask, "What is the name of the piece?"

Carefully taking the papers from his butler so not to damage what was likely the only copy, Ciel placed them on the stand before him. Lifting up the violin to rest under his chin, the young boy casually stated, "The Demon's Waltz."

And then he began to play.

* * *

There were some days that drove Sebastian to want to tear his hair out. Today was one of them.

As usual, the three buffoons proved themselves to be utterly useless at even the simplest of tasks. Were it not for their unmatched skill and unwavering loyalty to the Young Master, Sebastian would have gotten rid of them long ago. But, they have proved themselves useful enough to overlook their lack of skill at being servants.

But that meant that it fell to him to fix all of their mistakes. And as things were not hectic enough…

 _She_ came.

He must be losing his touch. Honestly, for a refined butler such as himself to allow such indecent thoughts to cross his mind over a Lady of the Phantomhive house… but his demon sensibilities could care less. It had been ages since he had met a female of her caliber in power. Her aura was _drenched_ in untapped potential, and though she did not reach his level by far, she was strong enough to be highly appealing and not pose a threat should she ever tap into her abilities.

 _And she practically_ screams _feline…_

His eyes flashed magenta, and he cursed his slip. He needed to find a way to curb this craving before it began to affect his work ethic. Young Master had already displayed his displeasure over Sebastian's interest in his beloved cousin, but relented that in the end, it was her choice as to any relationships she pursued. And its not as if Sebastian wanted to _mate_ her. Simply, he wanted to indulge in his more… _instinctual_ pleasures.

Satisfied in his reasons, the demon butler continued on his chosen path, heading towards the Young Master's study. Upon reaching the room, however, he found the door cracked open.

 _Odd. I was sure I closed it._

Entering he room, he found the Earl in his usual spot, sitting at his desk. However, instead of being invested in the paperwork before him, Ciel had his head propped in his hand, gazing off at the far corner of the room with a slight smile. Noticing Sebastian entering, he lifted a finger to his lips to signal silence before pointing towards the corner he was watching with a sly smirk.

As Sebastian approached his Young Master, he finally let his gaze settle on the corner of the room Ciel had been watching. Sitting on the floor with her back propped against a chair was Isabella.

Changed into simple yet more refined ebony gown, her hair had been yet again pulled back into a loose bun, though strands had already begun to fall into her face. Her face, however, had been covered in smudges of what looked to be wood polish, a rag with similar color smudges discarded beside her. Eyes narrowed in concentration, her lips twisted as she intently pulled a string taut. And Sebastian finally laid his eyes on the prize she so carefully and lovingly restored.

A violin.

A very _old_ violin, shining brightly from being recently waxed and polished and now was being restrung.

Glancing at his Young Master, Sebastian lifted a brow in question. Grabbing a piece of paper, Ciel scribbled down some words before turning the sheet to him.

 _She has been at it for almost an hour. She was distraught at the state she left her violin to become._

Picking up the pen, Sebastian replied in his usual showy and immaculate script.

 _Is this normal?_

 _She is a bit eccentric about it, but that is what makes her Isabella. She cares for that violin more than most people she knows._

Suddenly, after a cry of excitement, Isabella snatched her bow up off the ground. Lifting the violin to her chin, she began to run the bow along the strings, seeming to test out the sound. Eventually, however, her eyes fluttered closed as the bow began to dance along the strings, morphing into a slow, beautiful melody punctuated by brief bursts of sound, almost like a joyous dance.

Sebastian's brow scrunched in confusion as he listened to the notes before grabbing the pen yet again.

 _What is she playing? I have never heard of it._

Ciel's smirk grew into an amused grin over his obviously frustrated butler.

 _I don't know. She has yet to name it.._

Sebastian's eyes widened slightly in shock before furiously writing again.

 _Composing_ _? She is composing? But that song sounds far to advanced for someone of her age to simply make up as she goes._

With an almost proud look towards his cousin, Ciel wrote out an explanation to his butler.

 _Isabella is a violin prodigee. Started at age eight and was composing by nine. She played for the queen when she was only twelve._

With that, Ciel pushed away the paper, leaning back in his chair to close his eyes. An unusually content smile crossed the boy's face as Isabella continued to play, letting the notes wash over him. But, before he could get too comfortable, the violin stopped mid note. Her eyes flying open, she yelled, "Paper!"

With that, she all but flew out of the room, her bare feet padding down the hall as she sprinted away. Ciel seemed to pout for a moment, but his smirk returned at the sight of utter bewilderment on his butler's face. "Isabella is quite something, isn't she?"

Nodding slowly, he questioned, "Exactly how… _sane_ is your cousin?"

"As sane as she could be," Ciel stated bluntly, shocking Sebastian. With a sigh, the young Earl elaborated. "My predecessor has openly admitted to suspicions that Isabella might be a tad bit mad when compared to the average woman her age. She has a bit of an obsessive personality: whether it be her violin or caring for me, whatever she deems worthy takes the forefront of her mind. Nothing else matters."

"Surely you exaggerate," Sebastian replied, staring off at the door the young woman had dashed off through.

"Not in the slightest." Suddenly, a thought crossed Ciel's mind and a slow smirk formed. "Sebastian, move my violin lesson to tomorrow. Perhaps Isabella would not mind in indulging in a duet with me."

As he spoke, Ciel pulled open his desk and began rummaging through his papers, Sebastian curiously asked, "What piece were you hoping to play with her?"

"Her favorite composition," he replied smoothly. Pulling out the old, crinkled pages, Ciel laid them carefully on the desk, revealing familiar, hastily scrawled pages to the butler.

"The Demon's Waltz."

* * *

 _ **IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:**_

 **I honestly did not expect this story to get so popular. I'm still shocked at the number of you who like it.**

 **That being said, I think I have mentioned this before, but this was not the original story I had planned for Isabella. The original was a lot darker and such, and Isabella was a lot less stable. She also barely knew the Reapers, having not become part Reaper.**

 **All of this being said, I still have the drafts of the first couple of chapter for it on my computer. The chapters were much longer and more developed, and I liked them too much to delete them. So.**

 _ **If anyone is interested, I will start up the story and post it.**_

 **I'm gonna post a poll on my profile, and if you do not wish to respond in a review, please respond in the poll! I greatly appreciate any feedback! It will be up until February, and if I get a decent amount of interest, I will resume work on it and post sometime in March most likely.**

 **Thanks so much for your support! You all are amazing!**

 _ **\- Everon**_


	16. Her Bonding

**_Author's Notes:_ Okay, I should have had this done on Saturday, but I kept getting distracted... I'm sorry! Anyway, here is a slight Isabella and Ciel bonding chapter~ I felt like I needed to throw this in since I had way more Sebastian/Isabella moments then I was expecting. And one of my favorite banter characters for Isabella is making an entrance this chapter... I wonder if you can guess who before you finish reading?~**

 **Also, SO MANY REVIEWS. YOU ALL ARE AMAZING.**

 **ThePinkyNinja: Thanks! The violin is mainly going to be there to help Isabella express her moods and such. Its also sort of an introduction piece to her obsessive and slightly abnormal behaviors~**

 **Hezzan: Oh that's so sweet! Thank you so much! And here is some more!**

 **Feoreldia: Oh, I definitely catch your drift. XD Both of them are going to be really stubborn about how they like each other, and its basically gonna build until they both explode. And yeah, in this version, Isabella is slightly younger and instead of meeting Undertaker as a child, she meets Sebastian. The story is a lot darker, but I think I'm gonna post it. I just need to rework some parts.**

 **StorytellerD132: I actually haven't decided if I was gonna have the two play together or not. Isabella is a bit of a fanatic about her playing, and I can see him bothering her about it to a point where she finally caves to him playing with her.**

 **VoldemortsBFF: I honestly did not mean to make him so intense, but my writing got away from me. So yes, Sebastian is horny...though I think a lot of it is he just likes to mess with her to see her reactions. XD And I think I'm gonna post it, but in like a month so I can hammer out some details and tweak it a bit. They are extremely rough drafts.**

 **MidnightSalem: Oh thank you! I love writing the interactions: its my favorite way to develop a character. And you are so sweet!**

 **Roxygirl: Hi again! And yes, Isabella's violin is her baby. Its gonna be a major obsessive point of hers~**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Her Bonding.**

* * *

Dozing lightly, Rachel Phantomhive laid peacefully in her bed, resting from the strenuous day. Having just given birth to her first child, she felt she deserved to sleep through the next week.

However, tugging at the edges of her barely conscious mind was a light tune, a small voice humming softly from within her room. Letting her eyes crack open slightly, she noticed how the room seemed bathed in the early morning light creeping in through the curtains. Finally tilting her head towards the source of the humming, she noticed a small girl standing next the crib. Long, blue-black tresses hung loose down the girl's back, and she stood clad in a simple grey gown.

"You must be little Isabella."

The girl's back stiffened, and she spun around to face Rachel. "I'm sorry!" she whispered hurriedly, curtseying quickly and clumsily. "I heard him fussing from out in the hall, and I just didn't want him to wake you, and I swear I didn't touch him—"

"Calm down, Isabella," Rachel remarked with a light laugh. "Vincent told me about you. You are family, so you have no need to fear me." The little girl's head ducked down to look at the floor as she shifted nervously. "Would you mind bringing him to me? He is probably hungry." Her head shot back up, eyes widening, causing Rachel to finally notice the unusual shade of red for the girl's irises.

"Are… are you sure that I should touch him?..."

"It will be fine, Isabella." After a little more coaxing, the girl hesitantly scooped up the little baby, cautiously walking over to Rachel. The whole while, she watched the little baby in her arms as if he were the most miraculous thing she had ever seen. By the time she reached Rachel, she seemed almost reluctant to hand him over. See this, Rachel patted the bed beside her, smiling warmly at the nervous girl who slowly crawled up beside her.

As Rachel got ready to feed the little boy, Isabella asked, "What's his name?"

"Ciel."

* * *

Working at the Phantomhive manor, Bardroy had grown accustomed to being awoken late at night. He and the other servants knew from the beginning what a high-risk target their Young Master was, but that's why they were chosen to work here. They may be horrid at being normal servants, but they _excel_ at being Phantomhive servants.

So, when he woke extremely early in the morning to a knocking sound at his door, his first thought was that the manor was under attack. But, then he realized the knocking matched neither the sharp and forceful short knock of Sebastian nor the soft and timid short knock of Mey-Rin. This was a fast and rapid long knock that continuously sounded as he stumbled from the bed and to his door.

Flinging the door open, Bardroy found himself face to face with someone he certainly did _not_ expect.

"Miss Isabella?!" he yelped. "Wha—?..." Reaching up to scratch his head, he nervously stated, "Ma'am, you shouldn't be here… its not appropriate—"

"At ease, soldier boy," she replied in a teasing voice. Standing before him, she wore what appeared to be a long, flowing nightgown, the only cover being a floor length black trench coat with a split tail with the sleeves rolled up. "That's why I grabbed Mey-Rin and Finny first." Gesturing behind her, he finally noticed the two other servants, wildly waving at him, both still in their nightclothes as well.

"Okay…" he began slowly. "Why _are_ you here?..."

A sly smirk crept across her lips. "Want to help me surprise Ciel?"

* * *

For the past near three years, Ciel had been woken in a similar fashion. His butler, Sebastian, would come in with his morning teacart before opening the windows, allowing the early morning light in and gently waking him. Then, he would help Ciel dress while explaining any appointments or duties for the young Earl that day.

Today, that routine was not only interrupted: it was shattered.

"Ciel!"

Suddenly, a weight landed on top of him, startling him out of his slumber. With a yelp, he instinctively went on the defensive. His free arm reached under his pillow to yank out his pistol, cocking the hammer as he jammed the muzzle of the barrel into the underside of his assailant's chin. As the last remnants of sleep fell away, he found himself shocked by his attacker's response.

He heard _giggling_.

That's when he recognized the sound. "Isabella?!"

Another giggle as she pushed the barrel away. "Shhh…" he could barely make out the faint smirk on her lips as his eyes adjusted to the low light. "Don't want to alert the guard puppy, do you?"

Before he could respond, she rolled off of him, feet landing soundlessly on the ground as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "Isabe—" She covered his mouth, still grinning as she used her free hand to make a quiet sign over her lips. Shoving her hand away and speaking in a whisper, he continued. "Isabella, _what_ are you _doing_?"

She did not respond, merely giggling again. Then, with exaggerated movements, she scooped up his eye patch from the nightstand before plopping herself down on the edge of his bed. Fluidly, she tied the eye patch on over his contract sign. Tilting her head, she stared at him for a moment, but then with a quick nod of the head, she lifted herself from the bed.

Then, she crouched in front of him, balancing on the balls of her feet as she glanced back over her shoulder. She held her arms out to the side and gave him a mischievous smile. His visible eye widened as he realized what she was doing.

"Isabella, are you trying to give me a piggy back ride?"

She chuckled at his indignant tone. "Not like I've never done it before." He still looked questionably at her. With a roll of the eyes, she remarked, "Come on, this is quicker. I don't want to leave Bard alone in the kitchen any longer than necessary. I doubt how well Mey-Rin and Finny can keep him from taking a flamethrower to my surprise."

Ciel huffed. "You should never trust him with your food…" As he spoke, he crawled off the bed and pulled himself up onto her back. "Also, am I to assume that the other three will be in their nightclothes as well?"

"I didn't feel like getting dressed this early in the morning, so I figured I would find safety in numbers. So, I drug everyone out of bed and didn't let them change. Thankfully, none of them sleep in the nude." Having adjusted Ciel properly on her back, she stood up. "Now, let's hurry before Sebastian realizes I stole you."

With that, she darted out of the room and down the halls. Ciel nearly yelled at the sudden speed, arms clutching tightly around her neck. Though Sebastian could certainly run faster, he had not been expecting such speed from Isabella. Within just a few short minutes, she stood on the opposite end of the mansion on the ground level, just outside the doors to the smaller second kitchen.

Glancing back over her shoulder, she grinned at Ciel who still held a death grip around her neck and shoulders. "You alright or do you need a minute?"

"Some warning would be appreciated next time!" Ciel snapped. "And what if those three saw you?"

"Honestly," she quipped. "Do you _really_ believe they don't have a clue about Sebastian by this point? They aren't stupid."

"Tch."

She took this as the cue to finally enter the kitchen, hiking Ciel farther up her back as she kicked the door open with her foot. "I'm back!" she called out in a sing-song voice.

Stepping into the kitchen, however, she halted at the sight before her and heard Ciel groan in frustration, dropping his forehead to her shoulder. Bardroy stood frozen in the center of the kitchen, mid-attempt at trying to break free from Finny who held him back from Mey-Rin, who in turn held a few sticks of dynamite out of the former soldier's reach.

"Five minutes." Her voice came out deadpanned. "I left you alone for five minutes with specific instructions not to touch my meal, and you pull out _dynamite_."

Bard had the decency to look ashamed. "Well, you just said not to use a flamethrower…" he muttered sheepishly.

"Dynamite is not a proper form of cooking."

"Yes, ma'am…"

Isabella cringed. "I'd rather you use the dynamite then for you to ever call me ma'am again." With that said, she crouched down, allowing Ciel to hop off of her back. The three servants quickly bowed in greeting to him, smiling at their Young Master who simply waved off their early morning cheer. "Still not a morning person, huh?" He shot her a scowl, to which she grinned cheerfully as she clapped her hands together. "Now, let's start breakfast!"

Scrunching his brows together, Ciel asked, "You did not already prepare it?"

Smirking, she pulled a stool up to the counter and patted it, gesturing for Ciel to climb up while she began gathering ingredients onto the counter. "Oh my, has my little cousin gotten a tad bit lazy during my absence?"

His visible eye narrowed as he pulled himself up on the stool. "You are trying to goad me into helping."

"Is it working?"

"Possibly." His eyes scanned the pre-prepared ingredients, and realization dawned on him. "You are having us make monkey bread."

"Huh? Monkey bread?"" Finny asked, a confused look on his face as he leaned over the counter, looking at all the assembled ingredients. "What's that?"

"An almost sickenly sweet and extremely easy to make dessert," Isabella smoothly replied as she pulled a bowl close to her, filled with what appeared to be bread dough. "And what happens to be Ciel's favorite breakfast food."

"I thought you said it was a dessert?" Mey-Rin commented.

"It should be a dessert, but since it's made with biscuit dough, you can claim it as breakfast." Pulling the dough out of the bowl, she plopped it on the counter, flattening it out. "Its one of the few dishes I know how to make. A lady at an inn we stayed at made it for him, and when I saw how much he loved the bread, I asked her to teach me." Looking up from the dough, she asked, "Can someone grab a large bread pan?"

"Got it!" Bard shouted.

"Good! Now, while I cut the dough into small pieces, I want you all to roll the pieces in that sugar mixture over there before lightly pressing the pieces into a loaf shape in the pan." Glancing at her cousin who fidgeted on the stool, she gave him a small smirk. "Think you can handle that?."

"I remember what to do." His scowl appeared irritated, but his gaze shined with slight excitement over the familiar activity.

"Good."

With that, a small assembly line formed: Isabella cutting, Ciel and Finny rolling the pieces in the sugar mix, and Mey-Rin and Bardroy pressing the loaf together. Soon, they had all the dough prepared and the loaf formed, which Isabella promptly dusted the top of with one last layer of the sugar mixture before placing it in the oven. "And now, we wait!"

"Oh, it already smells heavenly!" Mey-Rin excitedly exclaimed while she and Finny stared into the oven window with smiles. "I can't wait for it to finish!"

"Well, this should help speed things up!"

The two servants tensed, before slowly turning round to see Bard grinning with a cluster of dynamite in his hand.

A _lit_ cluster of dynamite.

They began to screech in panic while Isabella snapped, "Bard! I said _no_ explosives!" Storming up to him, she snatched the dynamite from his hand. Muttering under her breath, the room's occupants watched as she stormed out the side door. A few seconds later, a distant _BOOM_ shook the room as Isabella calmly strode back into the room, a manic grin on her face that could give the Undertaker a run for his money.

Sighing, Ciel asked, "What did you throw it at?"

"Oh, nothing important." _Giggle_.

"…do I even want to know?"

"Probably not."

With that said, the subject was dropped, and they all fell into companionable banter, mostly with the three servants enthusiastically talking while Ciel lightly chatted with Isabella as she continuously checked on the bread. Finally, she announced, "It's done!"

The trio cheered, and Ciel finally allowed a small smile on his face as she pulled out the bread, not noticing his three servants watch him in shock. The happy atmosphere dissipated, however, when an angry aura seemed to emanate from the kitchen doorway.

Standing there was none other than Sebastian Michaelis, his face blank of emotion, yet his appearance spoke volumes. His usually pristine clothes were covered in holes and scorch marks, ruining his normal, perfect appearance. Wiping a bit of soot from his face, he remarked in his deadly calm voice, "Would someone like to explain why I had _dynamite_ chucked at my _head_?"

Plucking off a piece of the bread, Isabella replied with a smirk, "Convenient target." Popping the piece of bread into her mouth, she smiled brightly as she chewed. "Wow, this turned out rather well, considering it's been a few years."

Sebastian fumed and looked ready to snap back, but Ciel interjected as he pulled off a piece of his own. "Oh, calm down Sebastian. You are _fine_." Eating the bread, he looked to Isabella and commented, "Maybe more brown sugar next time."

"Ciel, the bread is basically pure caramelized brown sugar. No."

"But the cinnamon flavor is stronger."

"Then I will simply use less cinnamon—"

"You do realize," Sebastian coldly snapped. "That when you threw the dynamite at me, I was in pursuit of an intruder."

She lifted a thin brow. "Well, if you are standing here to complain, I assume you caught him."

The demon grit his teeth, glaring daggers at the woman who so casually baited him, when another voice interjected. "Isabella, what have I said about goading the beast?"

Her red eyes widened as she began to smile widely. "William!"


	17. Her Brother

**_Author's Notes:_ Okay, seriously, where are you all coming from?! Not complaining at all, but I am so shocked at the number of you following this story! You all are amazing!**

 **So, my parents are coming up this weekend for my birthday, so I shall post something next week. After that, I'm gonna try to return to my two chapters a week thing. Thanks for being patient!**

 **Twobrothers135: I keep messing with him... poor guy. But YUS. WILLIAM IS HERE!**

 **Stargazer-rebel: Thank you! And being crazy is always a fun thing~!**

 **VoldemortsBFF: HE HAS ARRIVED. But poor will... I plan on messing with him next chapter. XD And I felt that the story seriously needed a little bonding from the two. I have way more Sebastian/Izzy banter by this point than I thought.**

 **Zoela: YUS. Poor dear has to put up with Sebastian for Isabella. v_v**

 **Midnightsalem: Chaos is brewing, and the storm shall hit next chapter. Be prepared! And you're welcome!**

 **ThePinkyNinja: Oh thank you so much! You're welcome about the dynamite. XD**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Her Brother.**

* * *

Focused, yellowish green eyes intently watched the ongoing fight. He held a clipboard tightly in his hands, and usually, he would be taking detailed notes over the Graduate's progress. Yet, he found that he could not tear his eyes away from his student… his friend.

Full of deadly grace, she flipped back along the cobbled street, regaining her stance as she twirled her training scythe. She shoved her hair, which had fallen from its loose bun, back from her eyes, the details and contours of her pale face seeming to glow translucent in the moonlight. Her opponent snarled, a dark aura rolling off him in waves. The opponent, a mid level, uncontracted demon who had been causing trouble on the outskirts of London, had put up more of a fight than William had originally expected.

Though highly trained to be a specialist, he worried for her: her first fight should not have been this extreme. He and the others who had chosen the task had known that the discrepancy in the books likely signaled demon activity, but this…

This needed to stop.

He moved to intercede in the fight, until he heard a light giggle behind him. Head whipping round, he saw a familiar Reaper a few yards back. The man flashed a manic grin, his telltale Shinigami eyes hidden behind his silver, shaggy bangs. "What are you doing here?" William asked sternly, eyes narrowed. "Mentors are not supposed to be involved in their apprentices final tests."

"Oh I just happened to be strolling by…" he stated innocently. "And aren't the sponsors not supposed to intervene either?"

William tensed. "We did not expect her to face a demon of this caliber…"

Glancing over William's shoulder, the mentor remarked, "Well, she seems to be handling herself just fine."

Spinning round, William found himself watching Isabella as she took her final swing, her scythe cleanly and efficiently decapitating the demon. With one hand, the simple scythe she carried hung limp at her side, and with the other hand, she shoved her blue toned hair back from her face. Her breathing heavy, a satisfied grin sat on her face, her blood red eyes flashing a brilliant yellowish green from her Shinigami abilities seeping to the forefront.

William vaguely noticed the mentor moving to stop at his side. "Would you mind giving this to her?" The strange man handed him a cylindrical device, one that had an aura about it. "I constructed it to fit her style. Classic scythe parts, but she does like to twirl… so I made it more balanced to fit her flow."

Nodding absently, William examined the 'present,' or should he say, Isabella's new official scythe. The collapsible feature made it easier for the girl to conceal, and William found himself thinking of getting a holster for the girl so she could properly carry it around. He moved to thank the man, but he saw that he had already left, leaving him to sigh. She would go see him later, anyway. William had never understood her attachment to the odd, retired Reaper. Focusing on the present, William went to approach, feeling a rush of pride for her passing such a difficult test.

Isabella was now an official member of the Shinigami.

* * *

As a proper Phantomhive butler, Sebastian started each day with a familiar routine. Ensuring that the mansion remained in peak condition proved to be a full time job for the demon. So, like any other morning, Sebastian found himself within the manor's main kitchen, preparing the Young Master's breakfast.

Unfortunately, however, it appeared as if his routine would be interrupted this particular morning.

Head snapping up from the dough he was preparing, he scowled before letting out a tired sigh. "An intruder… It appears I must hurry if I am to wake the Young Master on time."

With that said, he sped around the room, putting away certain ingredients before heading out the kitchen's side door. Wine red eyes scanned the grounds of the manor, his senses heightened over the uninvited guest who had decided to step foot on Phantomhive property. Getting a sense of the intruder's general location, he dashed off, intent on intercepting and eliminating the threat.

 _I must hurry. The Young Master must be woken in 27 minutes…I must not fail in my duties as a Phantomhive butler—_

Before he could finish that thought, something in his peripheral vision caught his eye. As his head turned, he noticed a flash of long, blue-black disappear into the side door of the mansion's second and smaller kitchen. After that registered, he noticed something sailing through the air at a high velocity, straight towards him.

 _What is that—_

The projectile hit him directly atop the head, and near immediately after, Sebastian felt the searing heat of an explosion, heard the deafening roar of the explosion, and his last thought as he fell to the ground.

 _She hit me with DYNAMITE. Lit. DYNAMITE._

* * *

"Oh, what a pity. You seem to still be in one piece."

Laying flat on the ground, Sebastian allowed his eyes to open. Staring at the familiar male above him, the butler did not bother to hide his scowl. "I do not believe you were invited here, Reaper."

William T. Spears lifted his death scythe, adjusting his simple, black frame glasses on his nose. "I came to check on Isabella." Taking a large step back from the demon as he rose quite gracefully from the ground for someone who was just hit with explosives, he queried, "By the way, what exactly did you do to warrant her chucking dynamite at your head?"

Sebastian huffed as he futilely brushed soot from his tattered and burned uniform. "I now have confirmation of the belief that cats hold grudges…" he muttered darkly. Finally leveling his gaze at the reaper, he sighed. "I am in no mood to engage you, so I shall lead you to Lady Isabella. Do try to behave in my Young Master's manor."

William scoffed, clearly offended. "I am not the offensive one, beast."

With a sigh, Sebastian muttered as he strode towards the side door of the kitchen where Isabella had scurried off to, "This is going to be a _long_ day…"

"William!" Laughing happily, Isabella all but threw herself at the stiff Reaper. Wrapping him tightly in a hug, she declared, "Its so wonderful to see you!"

A flustered and embarrassed look passed over the Shinigami's face. "Isabella, this highly improper."

She gave an innocent tilt of the head, her lips falling in a perfect pout. "But William, I thought you gave me permission to glomp you out of work hours."

" _Isabella!_ " William cried out in shock, his face turning bright red in embarrassment as did Ciel and the other servants who watched on, mouths gaping in shock. Mey-Rin, though, also looked ready to have a nosebleed. "Stop twisting my words!"

Head tilting back, she laughed joyously as she linked her arm with his. "Relax. Honorary brother, remember? Stop making teasing you so easy and entertaining." He groaned in both relief and resignation, his face still red. Redirecting her attention, Isabella grinned broadly towards her cousin. "Ciel, I would like you to formally meet William! He may seem like an ass, but he is a real teddy bear underneath."

Though the reaper shot her a disapproving scowl, he slightly bowed his head to the young Earl. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you under more pleasant circumstances."

Ciel nodded his head. "Isabella has spoken highly of you. I thank you for being kind to her during her adjustment into your ranks."

"Is that what she said?..." A small smirk its way onto his face as he closed his eyes. "Quite frankly, I was one of the worst offenders during Isabella's academy days."

"Oh hush," she mumbled softly. "You were not that bad."

"Isabella, I was excessively abusive towards you during your training." His eyes darkened as he looked at her. "I will not deny my extreme prejudices towards demons, but you fit none of the normal demon standards besides your heritage. I can admit when I am in the wrong."

Softly smiling at the reaper, Isabella moved to speak, but then a confused Finny interrupted. "Uh, what does he mean by 'demon heritage'?"

Isabella stiffened, Ciel groaned, and Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose while William irritably snapped, "Do not tell me that those poor fools were not informed of Sebastian and Isabella's demon standings?"

While Ciel looked ready to start hitting his head against a wall, Sebastian brought a hand to his chin while verbally pondering, "I am not quite skilled in the art of memory tampering, but perhaps I can use this as an excuse to practice."

Isabella quickly and none too gently smacked Sebastian on the back of the head. "You are _not_ using them as guinea pigs. Besides," she continued with an amused look. "Based on their faces, I don't think they are too surprised."

And she was right. Thought they still looked a bit off, they all shared various degrees of realization, as if finding the final piece that made all of the others cohesive. Hesitantly, Mey-Rin spoke. "Well, we all three knew that Sebastian is not quite human, yes…"

"The demon thing isn't really that much of a shock," Bard continued. "We were actually debating between experimental super soldier like Finny or a vampire. I'm just shocked about Lady Isabella being a demon. She's too… nice."

Sebastian's face looked exasperated. "I feel like I've somehow been insulted somewhere in that statement."

Finny scratched his head. "Lady Isabella, I thought you were the Young Master's cousin?"

"I am through my mother, but my father was a demon. So, I am only a half-demon," she responded kindly. "Though, I guess I should mention that I am no longer half human."

Bard leveled his gaze at William. "She's half whatever you are. So, are _you_ a vampire?"

"Hardly," William scoffed. "Vampires do not exist: We are of the Shinigami, making us Death Gods. We collect human souls to pass to heaven and deal with _vermin_ —" He stated that part with a withering glare towards Sebastian, who merely smiled a creepy, close-eyed smile "—who try to interfere and consume the souls."

"Oh dear," Sebastian mockingly replied. "I'm beginning to believe that you are not quite fond of me."

"Behave, puppy," Isabella snapped, one arm still wrapped tightly around William's and the other discreetly resting near her holstered scythe.

"Don't call me that."

She blatantly ignored him, deciding to refocus on William. "So, what brings you here? I thought you would either have to be assigned a case on property or be plastered drunk to get you to step within 200 yards of the puppy."

While the three servants cowered away from Sebastian who looked as if smoke was about to come pouring out of his ears, William continued on as if business as usual. Which, technically, it was. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a clipboard from one of his negative space pockets while speaking in a formal, business like tone. "I have some paperwork you need to fill—"

" _Seriously_?!" she whined. "I should have known better… and besides! The bet! I still have nearly a full week before—"

"These require _your_ signature, Isabella," William replied firmly as he shoved the clipboard into her hands. "I will follow the bet, but I refuse to forge your signature. Not that I can copy your scrawl…"

She lightly hit him on top of the head with the clipboard, causing his glasses to fall down his nose. "Careful, William. Your asshole-ness is showing again." With that, she sauntered over to the counter while speaking. "You all eat the bread before it goes cold. This should only take a minute. William, feel free to help yourself: I made enough." Pulling up a stool that she gracefully dropped herself on as she flipped through the documents. "I hate paperwork…"

"I second that…" Ciel muttered in agreement as he pulled up a stool next to his cousin while the three servants tore into the bread and William watched them with a raised brow. Leaning closer, Ciel curiously tried to look at the forms, causing Isabella to lift a questioning brow. "Blame me for being curious on what supernatural paperwork is about."

She smirked and handed him the clipboard, allowing him to flip through the forms while she dug around in her bottomless pockets of her trench coat. With a sound of delight, she pulled out a pair of glasses, similar to William's. Slipping them on, she lightly snatched the clipboard back, causing Ciel to scowl as she sent him an innocent looking smile.

Making quick work of the numerous forms, she skimmed them and signed in all the appropriate places, ignoring the silent staring contest going on between the demon and her Reaper friend. Reaching the last form, however, her eyes widened. "Well, this is a surprise…"

Sparing a glance towards his coworker, William stated, "Yes, the audacity of a new graduate bothering a specialist for field test… how tedious."

"Be nice, William. I offered to take him out in the field," she casually replied as she poured over the graduate's form. "I just thought he wasn't supposed to graduate for a few more months."

"Graduations normally take longer merely to find a reaper who would volunteer to take a new recruit out in the field," William casually replied. "He is lucky you offered…"

As she scanned the papers more, her brow scrunched slightly. "They even already have a possible mission… it says its out in the country and might take a few days though." Glancing up at Ciel with apologetic eyes, Isabella asked, "I am so sorry about this, but I don't want to back out on him…"

The Earl waved his hand absently. "Tch, it actually works out." Reaching across the counter to snatch up one of the remnants of the gooey bread, he popped the piece in his mouth before continuing. "I have a case for the Queen starting tomorrow. I was going to see if you wanted to tag along, but perhaps it would be better for you simply to return afterwards and not waste your time off."

Flashing a happy grin, Isabella snatched the protesting boy up into a tight hug. "Thank you! I swear I will be back soon! I just would have felt horrible backing out on Ronald."

Pushing away from her, Ciel gave her a sly smirk. "I would not be thanking me just yet." Puzzled, she tilted her head in question. "Your wardrobe is horrid, so I took the liberty of calling Ms. Nina to come fit you for new clothes. She should be here soon."

"…oh shit."


	18. Her Discussions

**_Author's Note:_ Thank you all so much for being so patient with me! And wow, this is so close to 100 followers! I could cry I'm so excited. And this chapter...By God, that took WAY too long to write. Honestly, I've had chapter nineteen done since Sunday,but this one refused to cooperate. Anyway, I shall post the next chapter tomorrow, so stay tuned!**

 **In other news, I posted my music inspiration list for this story on my profile! I meant to make you all a playlist that you could actually listen to, but the site I used (8tracks) is not cooperating. If you know of any good sites that are easy to work with, let me know!**

 **StoryTellerD132: Universe is finally unpaused, and the story can continue on! :D**

 **Tails307: Ah, thank you! And yeah, but I feel bad if I don't post once a week. Too bad my life and brain won't cooperate. ^^;**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: I have temporarily slain my writer's block, so I shall take advantage of this time! XD**

 **Feoreldia: "Just don't pet the bunnies!"**

 **That is my new favorite phrase. It literally is just... Ugh it fits so well with my writer's block. The plot bunnies come, and I should ignore them, but they are JUST. SO. FLUFFY. *pets them and ruins life***

 **Yeah, but they are gone for now, so enjoy the story!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Her Discussions.**

* * *

Ms. Nina Hopkins had been called many things.

Talented. Dedicated. Visionary.

Strange. Harlot. Lunatic.

She has been called many things. Patient was never one of them.

So, as the Phantomhive butler, Mr. Tanaka, led her through the entryway towards the empty parlor, his words usually would have aggravated her. "I am terribly sorry, Ms. Hopkins, but Young Lady Isabella is a bit… occupied at the moment. She will be ready for her fitting soon."

A coy smile rested on her lips as she watched the 'occupied' Young Lady across the room. "Oh, I do believe that waiting will be quite alright."

Nina found herself quite used to Isabella's antics. The thirteen-year-old violin prodigy often lost herself to her muse, and Nina could never find herself able to be frustrated with Isabella for it. The seamstress was often known to go into a similar state when inspiration struck herself, so she understood the young girl to a degree.

Not to mention how fond she was of the girl. When they had first met, the then eight-year-old child would hardly speak, her sorrowful and distrusting red eyes locked upon the floor. But by the end of her time measuring the girl for Nina's employer, Isabella had practically latched onto the confident and exuberant seamstress, hanging onto each word as if Nina was making some Earth shattering revelation and not just rambling about color palettes and ribbons.

Somehow, Ms. Hopkins had gained the girl's trust. She soon found out from the Earl that the quiet girl trusted _very_ few, barely even her own Uncle and Aunts, and Nina still felt honored to have garnered the girl's trust so quickly. She would not ruin it by being impatient. Besides, who could turn down such lovely music?

So, content to wait, Nina settled on the couch, letting the music envelop her.

* * *

"She is… she is quite skilled…" William murmured, his words laced with awe while watching his friend.

Sebastian made a sound of agreement, his wine red eyes locked onto the hybrid in front of him. "I have to admit, she is quite skilled considering her age. And though she has not played in years, her skills do not seem to have diminished."

Currently, the Reaper and the Demon had a sort of silent truce, each accepting the presence of the other for the sake of enjoying the current situation. The situation being Ciel's 'lesson' with Isabella. And by lesson, it was more of his Young Master dragging her to the parlor and pulling out her copy of the _Demon's Waltz_. She had been elated to see her favorite old piece, and the moment Ciel mentioned having learned the second part, she darted from the room, intent to grab her precious violin and play a duet with her beloved little cousin.

So, that is what led to the current scene. Ciel played from the music stand, following the roughly written sheet music with a determined expression, while Isabella swayed next to him, her eyes closed in rapture and contentment as she played from memory. Skillful fingers danced over the neck of the violin, and the she leaned to and fro as she drew the bow across the finely tuned strings.

Such a tragic song, filled with menacing tones and eerie tunes punctuated by flurries of maddening speed with which she pursued the notes. Though he would never admit it, Sebastian found himself entranced by her music. Like a siren's song, the alluring melody shook him to his core, coiling itself within him like a python, slowly tightening around him, suffocating him… oh, he wondered if she knew how much this song called to him. This dark lullaby, this _Demon's Waltz_ … so aptly named.

As the song progressed, he felt a hunger spring from within him, his eyes locked upon her unsuspecting form. He imagined wrapping his arms about her slender waist, drawing her close, flush against his chest, and then ever so slowly tasting the moon kissed flesh of her throat…

Before the train of thought could consume him, a loud bang resonated through the room as the parlor doors flew open, shocking him from his pleasant fantasies and causing his intensely flaring demonic eyes to fade. "Isabella!" cried out a familiar voice, and Sebastian held back a snarl of irritation.

Isabella barely had the time to drop her violin from her chin before the blonde woman was upon her, wrapping her arms tightly around the flustered violinist. "Oh, Isabella! I knew it! I knew you could not be dead! Oh, my dear…" Pulling back from the hug, the woman's gaze traveled up and down Isabella before settling on her chest. Then, she placed a hand on each breast and squeezed. "Well, it looks like these grew in nicely."

The Young Master looked pale, William made some sort of squeaking sound, and Sebastian nearly growled before speaking. "Ms. Hopkins, I would appreciate you _not_ fondling my Young Master's cousin."

A fierce gaze rounded on the butler, and Nina Hopkins fixed him with a glare that would make lesser men cry. "Oh, it's _you_." Turning her attention back to Isabella, who only watched the seamstress with amusement and fondness rather than any negative emotion, Nina stated, "As to my 'fondling,' Isabella made no sign of being bothered by my inspection. I will have to take measurements of her anyway. This dress she is in is horrid for her current figure, and as I suspected, much too tight for her chest. Her breasts are not being properly highlighted."

Grabbing Isabella's hand, she set about dragging the young woman from the room. "Come along, dear! I dropped my bags in the hall when I heard you playing. We shall gather them and measure you elsewhere: _without_ the audience."

The door practically slammed shut behind them, and Sebastian groaned in irritation. "I despise that woman."

William could only mumble in response, his face still red.

* * *

Following along behind Nina, Isabella felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. She adored the feisty woman: Nina was like an extreme version of Madam Red, full of confidence and forward thinking for women that Isabella had found inspiring ever since she met the woman as a child. Sadly for Isabella, just like Madam Red, the seamstress could read her like a book, and she could practically feel the interrogation coming on.

Isabella had not discussed with Ciel yet how they would explain her return from the dead. A good cover story would be needed, for surely the Yard will come poking around once they hear of her return. Not only that, but they would need to tell a consistent story to people, and she had no idea how Ciel wished to spin the situation.

Fortunately for her, or unfortunately depending on how you viewed it, Nina decided that a different subject needed discussing...

Shoving Isabella back to sit on the couch, the seamstress put on her interrogator face, complete with a raised eyebrow. "What is going on between you and that butler?"

"Wait, _what_?" Isabella scrunched her brows in confusion. "What are you talking about? We just don't get along."

"Oh, do not try to pull that one on me," she huffed in response, dropping to sit next to Isabella. "He looked ready to cut my hands off when I fondled you—"

"So, you admit to the fondling?" Isabella asked with a grin.

"Oh hush. You are an adult and have the body of a goddess. Of course I fondled you," Nina flippantly quipped back. "Now, tell me: What is going on?"

She sighed, leaning back against the couch. "To hell if I know. He keeps acting interested, but I am positive he is just toying with me."

"Interested how?..."

"Umm…" A dark blush grew over her cheeks as she looked anywhere but the woman beside her. "He is very… up close and personal. I do not think he even _knows_ what personal space is!" Then, muttered in a low voice, "And he may or may not have said that he wants to fuck me…"

" _What?!_ "

"Easy!" Isabella shushed. "Honestly, I think that was just a comeback to me telling him to go fuck himself."

"Isabella," Nina replied sternly. "I, sadly, know Sebastian. If he did not like you, he would treat you as he treats me. Cold detachment if the Phantomhive name were at threat, or pompous, snarky remarks if he can get away with it. The only time I have _ever_ heard of him flirting was on a case when Ciel ordered him to get information, and Ciel would not ever consider that with you. You mean too much to that boy, and besides, you are loyal to him."

Isabella looked at a loss. "Then what does it _mean_?"

"It means that you have drawn the attention of the butler from hell, and I pity you, my dear."

* * *

"What are your intentions with Isabella?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Sebastian gave a sly smirk to the glaring Reaper standing against the far wall. "Finally found your voice again?"

Though his face went a little red, likely thinking back to Nina and Isabella's interaction, William managed to maintain his composure. "Answer the question."

Isabella had been with Ms. Hopkins for around a half hour or so, and Ciel had returned to his paperwork while Sebastian watched their 'guest.' Deciding that it would be of no harm, Sebastian simply stated the truth with a shrug. "I wish to bed her."

William's eyes went wide before narrowing dangerously. "You will not lay a hand on her, you vile beast."

"Oh, calm yourself," the butler remarked, not seeming the least bit unnerved by the threat. "It is not as if she is a virgin."

"How do you know _that_?!"

"Her scent," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And you know that it is common for otherworldly beings such as our selves to be… _looser_ than humans when it comes to sex. I see no problem with an arrangement between two consenting beings."

"One," William remarked stiffly. "I doubt that she has given anything remotely _close_ to consent, or did I misunderstand the dynamite earlier?" Sebastian's eyes narrowed dangerously as William pressed on. "Two, Isabella has only had one lover, one who she is still involved with and is likely not to end the arrangement anytime soon."

A feral snarl ripped from Sebastian's throat as his aura sparked angrily. Then, he barked out a cold, sinister laugh. "Who is this _lover_? Surely she cannot stay interested in a man for long. Her curiosity is too great."

"He is a…friend of hers," the Reaper replied carefully, refusing to elaborate. "And as far as keeping her interest goes, make no mistakes: they are not in love and neither holds any inclination of believing themselves to be anything other than trusted friends. But they… _understand_ each other, as she describes it."

"Understand?" Sebastian remarked. "Understand _what_ exactly?"

Moving to sit, William pressed his face in his hands and sighed tiredly. "I wish I knew. That's the extent to which she explains their relationship." Looking up at Sebastian with a pointed expression, he warned, "Mark my words, demon: Isabella has a mind that is unstable and irrational. She can play the part of being normal well enough on a surface level, but spend any amount of time with her and her mental state becomes clear."

The butler groaned, seeming bored of the conversation. "Yes, I know: she is mildly insane. The Young Master told me." Then his eyes narrowed as he stared down the Reaper. "But I do not care about her mind, so long as I get what I want in the end."

"And that is why you will never have her."


	19. Her Madness

**_Author's Note:_ Okay, so I had been considering holding out posting this for a day or two, but wow. Six reviews in less than 24 hours and four new followers. Y'all are really amazing!**

 **Anyway, I'm kind of curious as to how some of you will react to this chapter. Its longer than usual, and I'm not sure how people will view this new angle of Isabella's life. But yeah, I really want to hear what you guys think! I'm actually rather proud of this chapter... ^^;**

 **Midnightsalem: Insanity is my specialty~ And I enjoy tormenting Will just a bit too much.**

 **Stargazer-rebel: YES. I LIVE! And thank you kindly~ :D**

 **Tails307: The plot bunnies are trying to destroy me, those sneaky little jerks. :P**

 **And thanks so much for the support! Hope you like this chapter too!**

 **VoldemortsBFF: I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've mentioned it. As to who it is, you shall soon find out... XD**

 **Jasmine: The wait is over!**

 **Guest: Nice guess... though I will admit I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to drag Claude into this story. I guess I need to decide on that soon... And thank you!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Her Madness.**

* * *

The Undertaker rarely had visitors. Most found his shop rather… _unnerving_. He could understand why. Most did not grasp Death the way he did. Not even other Reapers truly understood Death.

But then there was _her_.

The tragic young beauty had been finding her way into his shop for years now. When he happened upon her as a child, he could see the spark within her. A kindred spirit, one who did not see Death as others did. Death was not an end: it was a new beginning. A chance to start over. Curiosity drove the girl, and curiosity drove him to save her, to delay her meeting with Death.

Not because he wished for her live, to preserve the spark of life within her. No, Death already hung above the young girl, following her like a foreboding dark cloud. The only life she lived was a skeletal one, driven by necessity and incessant curiosity. She needed more time to mature, however. Being frozen as an eight-year-old girl for all eternity would have stunted any chance for the Undertaker to expand upon her knowledge and understanding of Death.

And oh, how he had molded her over the years. Death fascinated her, driving her to inquire and explore, to see as much as she could. She begged and pleaded for every scrap of knowledge or pondering he had, and he happily fueled the blooming smolder of obsession that welled up within her. Now, all he needed was the right accelerant…

His shop doors burst open, and the center of his thoughts strode angrily into the room, pacing back and forth like a caged tigress. As she all but ripped off her trench coat, tossing it to the side atop a spare casket, she angrily muttered to herself, eyes flashing dangerously close to the familiar demonic slits. "Stupid, arrogant, no-good… UGH." She spun suddenly and kicked the wall with all her might, causing a loud cracking sound to echo through the room.

"He, he, he~…" Oh, she was ever so amusing when riled up. Like an avenging goddess, her dark hair hung loosely about her bare shoulders, contrasting sharply with her almost ghostly translucent skin, chest heaving as she tried to take deep, soothing breaths. "Are your Academy professors upsetting you again, my little Lady?"

She had only been of the Shinigami for a short while, just under four months. None of the other Reapers had taken well to her appearance, and often times, she had to suppress her rage around them lest they throw her unstable nature back in her face. They were looking for any excuse to have her deemed unfit, to have her declared too dangerous to allow within their ranks. Caution became her ally. But, her emotions were wild, untamable, amplified by the Shinigami magic now running through her veins… and he knew it only a matter of time before she needed to vent herself somehow…

"Life was not fair…" she stated lowly, her head tilted towards the ground. Her blue-black tresses covered her face, hiding her eyes. "Apparently Death isn't either."

"You are not truly dead, my dearie," he cooed, walking out from around the counter. Standing behind her, he trailed his long, black nails through her silky hair, separating out a few little strands. An almost purr like sound rumbled from the young woman, agitation seeming to leave her frame as he pet her, braiding little sections of her hair much like the tiny braids running through his own. The purr was the only sound in the room for several minutes, the late night silence enveloping the two broken souls.

"…Am I mad?"

His hands stilled. "Yes."

"…Are you mad?..."

"…Yes."

Slowly turning round, he dropped the current braid, several now randomly scattered in her hair. Gazing up at him, she reached for his hat, removing the ratty old thing and dropping it casually to the ground. Then, with delicate hands, she ran her fingers through his hair, pushing the fringe back from his face.

A jagged scar ran diagonally across, but otherwise, he had a face worthy of envy. Moon kissed skin that rivaled her own, making the pair look like star-crossed lovers from beyond the grave, and his glowing green eyes were stunning, captivating. He looked so… inhuman. "Why do you hide?" she whispered.

"Because," he started lowly, seriously, as he reached up to grasp her hands that now cupped his cheeks. His back straightened, standing a few inches above the young woman before him. "People understand insanity a certain way. They would not understand our true madness, because our true madness is true understanding."

She took a step closer, her eyes slowly shifting from the familiar blood red. But they did not shift to magenta: they shifted to a brilliant, yellowish green. Fingers tightening in his hair as she gazed up at him, she yanked his face to hers, pressing her lips to his in a needy, desperate way.

Her kiss plead for help, for stability, for him to save her from drowning within her own psyche.

Her kiss plead for everything she knew he could not give her.

But like a drowning man, he greedily took the kiss, burying a hand into her hair while the other gripped tightly to her hip. He couldn't offer her what she deserved. He was too broken for help, for stability. He did not know how to save her. They both knew this. They both knew each other.

Eventually, he pulled back, Hesitantly, he stated, "I do not love you."

A sad smile. "I know. I do not love you, either."

"I cannot love you."

"I know. I cannot love you, either." She leaned closer, her lips hovering below his as she looked up at him. "But we _understand_."

And with that, they were lost to madness.

* * *

If one were to cast a casual glance towards William T. Spears as he sat at his desk, he would appear composed, distant, and his usual apathetic self.

However, take a moment to watch him. The unnatural stiffness of his shoulders, the slight clench of his jaw, the questioning glances cast off to the right… William was suspicious of something. Anyone who knew him could see it. And if they were to follow the trail of the Shinigami manager's gaze, they would understand the issue immediately.

To the right of his desk sat the familiar face of the newly officiated Isabella Lancastor. Though, no one ever added the Lancastor part: after the first few death glares over calling her Ms. Lancastor, the members of department began to follow her request of simply calling her Isabella.

Anyway, she currently lay sprawled on her stomach across the couch in William's office, pouring over several forms and documents spread out around her, even spilling over onto the floor. Clad in her usual reaper clothes, her jacket had been discarded off to the side in one of the rooms spare chairs, leaving her arms bare in the sleeveless corset she wore. Her mood, however, read much more easily than her friend's.

She was _bored_.

Bored mixed with frustration and a touch of impatience. She had been reading the same file for the past half hour: a file with only _two pages_ of information to fill out, and only one page has she completed. Pen balanced between her fingers, she twirled it absently much like she would her scythe, scowling at the offending paperwork that dared to bother her. All the while, one leg hung off the edge of the couch, the toe of her boot tapping incessantly on the ground.

Finally having enough of the bored tapping of his friend, William spoke up in the otherwise quiet room. "Do you have somewhere you need to be, Isabella?"

Spine stiffening, she glanced over at him with a sheepish expression. "That obvious, huh?"

"Seeing as how you have yet to complete a decent amount of paperwork and your foot is somehow still miraculously speeding up after an _hour_ of tapping…" She cringed slightly at the pointed, irritated look he shot her. "Yes, it is _very_ obvious. So, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing really," she replied absently, giving one last scowl before shoving the file away. Shifting upright, she sat in a very unladylike manner, knees together with her feet splayed out, chin resting in one hand propped up on her knees while the other hand still absently twirled the pen. "I just haven't seen my mentor in a while. I want to talk to him."

With a snort, William dropped his gaze back to the paperwork on his desk, tersely muttering, "I see then…"

A wide grin broke out on the young woman's face. "Now William, are you perhaps _jealous_?" At his sputtering, she laughed brightly, still grinning at her companion. "Look, I'm sorry. I love you, William: you know that you are basically my brother, right?"

Adjusting his glasses while avoiding her eyes, he replied, "Yes, and you are the annoying little sister I never wanted."

"Well, aren't you sweet," came her sarcastic response. "But seriously, William. I only interact with two people: you and him. You are…" She leaned back, a contemplative look on her face. "Well, you are my stable ground, my anchor. You keep me sane, keep me focused… you give me purpose." His face snapped up to hers, shock in his eyes as his glasses fell back down his nose. "He on the other hand…"

Her eyes drifted, a small smirking grin flashing on her face. "He is everything but. I hold no illusions, William. I know that I'm not exactly… sane." She held up a hand to stop his protest. "You wouldn't have coached me for the psych evaluation if you thought otherwise. He…" She drifted off, the smirk slowly fading.

William understood what she was trying to say. "He can relate to you."

"Yeah…" A wistful smile crossed her face as her blood red eyes met his. "It's nice to know I'm not the only unstable one running around…" Then, the feral grin returned. "Plus… he and I know each other a bit more… _intimately_ than I think you and I possible."

She could almost see the cogs turning in William's head, the slow comprehension of her words before everything snapped in place. With his face flushed red in embarrassment, he cried out while she laughed at his embarassment, " _Isabella_! That is _highly_ inappropriate!"

* * *

Isabella was confused.

Her conversation with Nina back at the mansion had left her mind spinning, all the implications nagging at her subconscious. Surely Sebastian was not interested in her, right? Yes, she knew herself to be attractive, but… this was _Sebastian_. The powerful Ancient, the one holding her cousin's contract… the one she called a puppy.

Repeatedly.

Add in the two crotch kicks and the stick of dynamite, and Isabella questioned how she was still in one piece.

A traitorous part of her mind tried to point to these facts, citing them as further proof of his interest, but she ignored the thought. Sebastian tolerated her, and only by Ciel's order. He flirted to mess with her. Nothing more, nothing less.

A tired sigh passed through her lips as she trudged up to the familiar shop. Staring at the sign with a certain fondness, she continued moving to cross the threshold, pushing open the door even though the sign said closed and merely striding in.

As she moved towards the stool at the counter, an amused laughter floated from the back room. "Oh, what an unexpected surprise…"

Groaning from exhaustion, she flopped down on the stool, her back to the counter that she propped her elbows against. Leaning back, she kept her eyes shut, her blue-black hair falling from the loose bun to pool on the countertop, which was fortunately clean…

For once.

"Sorry, Undertaker…" she stated as she slowly willed her body to relax. "I know I haven't been here in a while… it's been a hell of a week."

He laughed, his usual insane giggles melting into a more natural, amused laughter. "Care to explain?..." he prompted while lifting his fingers to her scalp, grazing his long nails through her hair, pulling the last of it out of the remnants of her bun.

A relaxed sigh melted through her. "For starters, I have to leave on assignment in a couple of hours. I'm taking a graduate out on his field test… some place called 'Houndsworth.'" She cringed at the name, causing Undertaker to giggle. "In other news, Grell killed my aunt..." One eye peeked open as she glance back at the strange man intently running his fingers through her hair. "But you likely already knew that."

"But of course…" One hand stopped playing with her hair as he continued to speak. "And I have a gift."

She heard the delicate tinkling of a chain followed by the dull thump of something against the counter. Curiosity peeking through, she allowed her eyes to open, leaning up a bit as one hand snatched the object off the counter. As she examined the gift, Undertaker continued to play with her hair, separating out some section of it to make tiny braids. Staring at the object in her hand, she felt a lump rise in her throat.

A funeral locket.

And not just any funeral locket: engraved on the silvery metal was a familiar name. "Madam Red…"

"I thought you might want to hold onto her Death."

A hollow laugh escaped her lips. "You know, the more I believe I understand Death, the more I realize how little I grasp it."

His hand burrowed in her hair, tugging her face back a bit to look at him. She found herself being observed by curious green eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips as those curious eyes glinted with a pleased, content shade. "And that is why you understand it more than others."

That said, he quickly pressed his mouth to hers, greedily taking what his lover had to offer. All his madness bleeding into her own, they each fueled the other's slow descent. His madness brandished out in the open, much like the scar across his face, visible for all of the world to see. Her madness hidden silently, like a tasteless poison seeping into your system, slowly killing you while you are none the wiser.

Their fall had begun long ago.

Their landing will shatter them.


	20. Her Truce

**_Author's Note:_ Sorry! This was supposed to go up Wednesday, but... I kind of gave in to a plot bunny. Sorry. I'm developing a Labyrinth story right now, so... yay?**

 **But, I have finally finished the chapter! And guess what? ONE HUNDRED FOLLOWERS. Seriously, this is amazing. Love you all so much for this!**

 **I'm so glad the Undertaker thing had a positive reaction. I was worried y'all might not like that little bit. This is good cause its a major part of the next few chapters.**

 **I have a lot of announcements to make, but they will happen next week after my mid-terms are done. (bleh.)**

 **Midnightsalem: Ahhh! I'm glad you liked the two together! And honestly, I love how quick you review. It helps settle my pre-chapter posting nerves. XDDD**

 **Guest: Yep! Nice guess btw. Sorry for the wait!**

 **Mystirica18: Yeah, they are. Probably should have explained that better. ^^;**

 **VoldemortsBFF: SURPRISE. XD But yeah, this side of Izzy is gonna become more prevalent as time goes on. Thanks!**

 **Guest: YAS. They have a major thing going on. And it shall continue to go on for a little while... XD**

 **Lyricalmiracle134: Oh thank you so much! And no, their relationship is totally platonic. Its sort of going to be a major importance to Isabella later on, cause I plan on her and William's sibling relationship being her most stable and healthy relationship. And I honestly did not intend for that to happen but I plot out future chapters, I just look at it and go... 'Well, shit.' And that's how the Undertaker thing started... ^^;**

 **Stargazer-rebel: AHHHH. I'M GLAD YOU LIKE THE PAIRING! :D**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Her Truce.**

* * *

Racing down the halls, the little girl grinned happily to herself. One hand tightly clutched the neck of her beloved violin, the other gripped the instrument's bow. Her hair flew out behind her, the messy strands having long since fallen out of the bun that the maid had futilely twisted tightly to her skull earlier that morning.

Coming to a halt outside a familiar room, she faintly remembered that she should knock, but her excitement outweighed any trepidation. Her favorite person was visiting. Uncle Vincent would understand.

Shoving the door open to the dark room, the little eleven-year-old girl quickly analyzed everyone present, all ranging from shocked to amused at her sudden arrival. Spotting her target standing off next to the pool table, her grin grew till she felt like her face was splitting in two. "Mr. Undertaker!"

She darted forward and barreled into his legs, wrapping her arms tightly around them. A faint laugh came from the man who rested a hand atop her head. "Why hello, little Lady. What a pleasure to see you again…"

"Isabella…" The honey and nightshade voice drifted from a chair by the fireplace, tinged with a sigh. She sheepishly looked towards her Uncle, who thankfully looked more amused than upset. "You know you are not supposed to be in here."

Glancing towards the ground, she mumbled, "I haven't seen Mr. Undertaker in a whole month… And its not like I don't know what goes on in here anyway."

"What the hell?!" interjected an outraged voice from the corner of the room. Rising from his chair, the German accented man wearing what appeared to be a military uniform scowled at her Uncle. "Vincent, why would a kid know anything about what goes on here? You'll make her a liability."

"That's insulting…" she muttered with a pout, the Undertaker snickering from where he stood next to her.

"I agree," the Earl Phantomhive added. "Isabella is more than she appears. I am having her trained so that one day she will be able to assist my son with his duties to the Phantomhive name. She is devoted to him."

"She's a kid. What in the hell could she possibly do at this age?"

"I would not underestimate her."

The arguing continued, the two men falling into a more private conversation at the fireplace while the others in the room continued on with whatever they were speaking about prior to the interruption. Isabella turned her attention back to the Undertaker. "I've been practicing!"

"Oh, have you now?" he casually asked, his voice tinged with mirth. "Care to show me something?"

"Well, I can play my violin, but I can't show you the other stuff," Isabella told him, the seriousness on the little girl seeming adorable.

"Oh, I believe you will get your chance." Her head tilted in question to his statement, but before she could ask, the hairs on the back of her neck began to rise. Spinning round, she looked just in time to see one of the men in the room slowly begin to rise. His square jaw tense, his hand in his jacket, turning cleanly towards her Uncle. As he drew out a gun, it only took her a moment to respond.

Scooping up a ball from the pool table next to her, she chucked it clear across the room, hitting the man's wrist with a loud, resonating crack. He cried out in pain while dropping the gun, clutching his now broken wrist to his chest before glaring at her harshly. She merely darted forward, scooping up the gun then dancing back a few feet to keep out of arm's reach. With a curious tilt of the head as she stood in front of the angry man, she asked, "How did someone as stupid as you get invited to this meeting?"

Enraged, the man leapt towards her, but then a shot rang out through the room. Isabella's eyes widened as the man slumped to the ground right at her feet, motionless. Blood oozed from the messy, fleshy hole in his head, and she vaguely acknowledged the still warm blood splattered on her face and dress.

Sensing someone standing beside her, she jerked to the side as her Uncle quickly knelt beside her. He still held his smoking gun in his hand, but he carefully laid it out on the floor as he grasped her chin, tilting her face this way and that with concern in his eyes. "Are you alright, Isabella?"

She did not know how to the respond, so she mutely nodded her head before glancing back at the slowly cooling corpse in front of her, the dead man's hand still twitching. A low whistle came from behind her, and the German man strode forward to the corpse, nudging it with his foot. "You know, you would think I would no longer be surprised with how ruthless you can be, Vincent."

"I do not handle threats to my family well," he coolly replied, resting a hand on Isabella's shoulder. "I am sorry you had to see that, my dear."

Though she stayed quiet for a minute, Isabella suddenly asked, her voice filled with excitement, "Can I help Mr. Undertaker examine the body?! Please? It's still warm! The heart might still be twitching!"

Vincent sighed tiredly as the German looked as if his eyes were going to bulge from his head. Sending the giggling Undertaker a small scowl, the Earl blandly stated, "You teach her odd habits."

"He, he, he~!" the mad man giggled. "It is not my fault she finds Death as fascinating as I do. And she has never seen a man die before… thankfully she reacted well."

Isabella looked ready to speak up again—the body was growing colder by the minute—only to see someone new emerge from the shadows. Her eyes widened, watching as a man with neatly slicked back hair in the simple black suit casually strode towards the body, carrying a clipboard in one hand and what looked like pruning shears on a metal pole in the other.

She was about to ask what the man was doing, when suddenly, film reels sprang forth from the dead man's chest, which the newcomer watched with his sharp, bright green eyes. Then, realization hit her: he was of the Shinigami.

Enraptured, she stared at the man, watching him work with utter fascination, ignoring all of the others who began approaching the Earl about how to deal with the body. The Reaper watched the film with an emotionless expression, his gaze never wavering except to make the occasional note in his file. Soon enough, the film reel reached its end, and with a practiced ease, the Reaper clipped the film for collection, stamped his file, and moved to leave.

Looking over towards the Undertaker with wide, awe-filled eyes, Isabella felt a surge of determination fill her. She wanted to be like this Reaper. She wanted to seem so confident and calm in a situation, to be so professional and skilled that every soul collection happened with ease. In the child's mind, this man, this Reaper suddenly became her image of the perfect Reaper.

And she swore to herself that one day, this Reaper would know her name.

* * *

"This is so awesome!"

Isabella could not help but grin back at the exuberant Reaper behind her. "Well, someone certainly is excited."

"You kidding me?" Ronald asked, a bright grin spreading over his face. "Most of my fellow graduates have to wait _months_ until they get to take their field tests! Also, I get to tag along for a specialist case? How cool is that?!"

Laughing brightly, Isabella moved to link her arm with him as they continued along the dusty road. "Good to know that someone appreciates my work. I will have to request you for co-ops in the future."

"Seriously?"

"Of course. I could use some company other than William on assignments." A small smile worked its way on her face. "Love that guy, treats me as if I were his little sister, but I can't work with him all the time. He isn't even supposed to be in the field as much as he is. Claims to hate collection jobs, but I know he enjoys the breaks from the office work."

Ronald grinned happily. "Man, did I luck out meeting you. Remind me to take you out for drinks once this is done. This case will deserve some celebrating, I can feel it!"

"Oh, I will _certainly_ take you up on that offer."

The two continued to chatter on, walking along the rural path. On most cases, a Reaper would be dropped off at the source of the reaping via portal, making the collection cleaner and more efficient. However, since Isabella did not have a case until after Ronald's, she decided they could take the more casual approach, which meant hitchhiking and walking to their destination.

This also gave her a better opportunity to grade Ronald on how he handled interactions with humans when visible. He had gotten them a ride for most of the distance out into the countryside, but they still had a few short miles to walk. Neither minded, their Shinigami nature giving them plenty of stamina for the short journey, and the company was pleasant between the two. Ronald had many outlandish stories to tell, and Isabella drank in the exuberant company he offered.

Eventually, however, the distant sound of a carriage drifted to her ears from behind the pair. Isabella strained to listen, her demonic senses being stronger than Ronald's Reaper abilities. Halting her steps, she twisted her head back to look out the distant horizon. Her irises flashed to magenta slits as she focused in on the sight, confirming her suspicions of a carriage—two carriages, actually— approaching.

"Whoa…" Realizing her audience, Isabella allowed her eyes to fade back to normal. Veil or not, the glowing showed through the lace despite her wishes. Thankfully, Ronald did not seem upset, merely awed at the small display of power she showed. Skipping around the topic, she casually stated, "We have a pair of carriages heading in the same direction as us. Care to flag them down for a ride?"

Shaking off his daze, his chipper attitude bounced back to normal. "Just our luck! Hopefully they let us tag along." Turning to face the approaching vehicles, he paused, waiting till they were within normal sight range. Then, his arm flung in the air, waving wildly.

Isabella watched her companion, amused at his exuberance, and casually sat down the trunk she had been lugging along. She did not bring much, just a spare dress or two, her Reaper outfit currently on under the pale blue dress she wore. Her attention turned back to the carriage, and she noticed how they were finally within decent sight range, making the figures more noticeable…

And she tensed as she locked eyes with the driver.

"Bloody hell…" she muttered, causing her companion to cease his waving, shooting her a curious look. Sighing, she muttered, "Ronald, apparently we shall be testing your recognition abilities as well…"

"What?..."

"Just stay calm until I explain the situation to them." He still looked confused, causing her to sigh. "You are about to meet my cousin and his _dog_."

The carriage had finally reached them, and Isabella kept her face passive as the driver stared at her, a smug smirk on his face as he drew the carriage to a halt. "My Lady…"

"Puppy." He scowled darkly at her. "Aww, did I hurt the little puppy's feelings?"

"Isabella?!" came a shocked voice from the main carriage, Ciel's head poking up as he stood from his seat. "What are you doing here?!"

Gesturing to her companion, she formally replied, "Ciel, meet recent graduate of the Shinigami Academy, Ronald Knox. Be _nice_." Ignoring the boy's scowl and looking to the confused Reaper beside her, she told him, "Ronald, meet my cousin, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive. Ignore the coarse attitude: his bark is worse than his bite. Just don't poke his puppy."

"I wish you would stop calling me that," Sebastian stated blandly from the driver's seat.

"I wish you weren't trying to eat my cousin's soul," she snapped back, one hand subconsciously drifting to her holstered scythe.

"Trying?" he replied smoothly with a smug smirk. "I do believe once the contract is complete, there will be no _trying_."

The glare she sent him would send chills down most anyone's spine.

Sebastian simply smiled his usual closed eye smile.

"Awkward…" Ronald muttered, nervously rubbing the back of his head.

"Oi!" a voice piped in from behind the main carriage, breaking the staring contest. "What's Isabella doin' here?"

Isabella's eyes lit up as she grinned at the Phantomhive servants. "Oh, you brought everyone!"

"Isabella," Ciel started with a tired sigh. "Why are you walking along a deserted roadside?"

Turning attention back to her cousin, she stated with a shrug, "Ronald and I were hitchhiking to Houndsworth for his field test."

" _Why_ would you hitchhike?!" the young Earl yelled in exasperation. "That is not the proper way for a Lady to travel!"

The hybrid scowled in irritation. "One, I haven't been a Lady in years. Two, I can _more_ than handle myself, and its not like I am alone! And three, because I do what I want."

Muttering to himself, Ciel shook his head in frustration. "Just get in the carriage. We are heading to Houndsworth as well. Finny, Bard, grab their trunks."

Isabella gave Finny a cheerful grin before looking back at her cousin. "Didn't know the Watchdog's leash stretched this far."

Before she could move into the carriage, Ronald grabbed her arm, watching Sebastian carefully. "Isabella… we can't possibly go with _that_."

"Oh my," Sebastian drawled in a bored tone. "Yet another racist Shinigami member. It's a wonder that Lady Isabella does not have an inferiority complex." Then, he smirked. "Oh, wait…"

Ronald looked livid. "Senior Isabella is nothing like you! She doesn't eat souls!"

"Pity. She might actually be a threat otherwise."

"Ronald," Isabella warned, grabbing his arm. "Just ignore Sebastian. He cannot harm you so long as you do not provoke him."

The young graduate looked unconvinced, so Isabella shot Ciel a pleading look. Sighing for the umpteenth time, the young Earl commanded, "Sebastian, you are to treat the Reaper with the same respect that you would any guest of the Phatomhives. You will not harm him unless he tries to harm myself or Isabella."

Impassively, the butler stated, "Yes, my Lord."

Smiling at Ronald who seemed to of relaxed a bit, she linked her arm with his and dragged him towards the carriage. Then, she frowned as she looked at the small space on the bench next to Ciel. Only one other person could fit, and she did not wish to separate Ronald into another carriage from herself. That only left the option of someone sitting on the driver's bench next to Sebastian…

"Shit…"

"Language, my Lady," the butler smoothly responded, his smirk returning as he devilishly glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He likely knew her dilemma, and she wished she could get away with punching him in his smug face.

"Ronald, sit with Ciel. I will sit with the puppy."

Ciel and Ronald both tried protesting, but Isabella just mechanically responded with the reasoning that had been filtering through her head. With mumbled protests, Ronald sat down next to Ciel while Isabella reluctantly took Sebastian's offered hand to help her up onto the driver's bench. A flick of the reigns later, and the carriages began to move yet again. The three servants could be heard in the background chattering happily amongst themselves, and even Ciel acted civil with Ronald, asking about his time amongst the Shinigami.

Eventually, even the demon decided to break the silence.

"Interesting braids."

Her hand shot up to her hair, fingering the small little braids that had somehow managed to last this long. "Oh… I got bored."

She did not elaborate, causing Sebastian to eye her suspiciously. "Really? Though, it must be difficult to make the little braids on the back of your head."

"Why are you so interested in my hair all of a sudden, puppy?" she snapped harshly.

His eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched. "I _do_ have a name."

Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she noted how he did not even look at her, still staring straight ahead. "Yes. The name of my cousin's deceased pet dog." His grip tightened slightly on the reigns, and she let out a long sigh. "Sorry."

That caught his attention, his brows shooting up as he finally looked towards her. "Did you _actually_ apologize?"

"Oh, shush," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I overreacted, so I apologized."

"But I am a demon. You Reaper's do seem so fond of reminding me of this fact."

"Honestly, I don't dislike you for your demon status. That would make me a hypocrite. And under other circumstances, I would not even care that you contracted a soul. It's the fault of the soul's owner… well, _previous_ owner depending on how you look at it."

Understanding came to his mind. "But it's this particular soul that bothers you…"

"I trust so few people." Her words were soft, but with a bitter edge. "Ciel was the one person I gave my complete trust to. Call me selfish, but I felt that with a child… I could help raise him to make him never want to betray me. And after everything, he still trusts _me_. I love him for that… the little brat he may be now."

He regarded the small smile on her lips and the wistful, joking way she spoke of Ciel. Her words were unexpected, but he should not be so surprised. "Your instincts." She glanced at him curiously. "Demons are highly possessive by nature. I claimed what you consider yours. Likely the only reason you have not retaliated more… physically is due to some base level acceptance that I am more powerful than you."

A scowl formed on her lips. "Yeah, I guess. So, me acting like—for lack of a better term—a bitch is the only way to get back at you for taking him from me."

The butler remained silent, a contemplative look resting upon his face. He still desired this young woman, her resistance only making her more appealing to him. Yet, he wanted to seduce her properly, so that required gaining some favor from her… "What about a truce? We agree to cooperate for the sake of the Young Master."

She seemed to contemplate his offer. She knew how she was a mild irritant to him so far, but once she started involving herself further into Ciel's life, she would likely be a severe nuisance to the perfectionist butler. A truce would save him many headaches, and likely would make protecting Ciel that much easier for the both of them.

"Conditions." He nodded for her to continue. "You teach me how to use my demon powers properly."

"Tired of running around naked after shifting forms?"

"You are such an ass. I want to learn more than just shifting. You mentioned telekinesis, fire manipulation… I want to learn everything I can."

"No guarantees on exactly what powers you have…" he began. "But, I have been intrigued as to what powers you might possess… So, yes, that condition is fine. I shall, however, not be an easy teacher."

"Would expect nothing less. And the other condition…" His brow lifted. "I can still call you puppy." And then he scowled. "But I will strive to use your name more… _Sebastian_."

His eyes flashed while a terrifying grin crossed his face. "Well then, my Lady, I believe we have deal."

"Perfect!" she cheerily responded. "That went more smoothly than expected."

"Well, the deal has not been sealed yet."

Her spine stiffened. "Sealed?..."

"Your first lesson," he practically purred in a low voice. "I shall meet you in your quarters after sunset…" he leaned in closer to her ear. "Then, I shall show you how we demons seal deals."

She felt as if her heart had stopped beating.


	21. Her Instincts

**_IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:_ Hello all! Gah, there are so many of you now! This is amazing!**

 **Anyway, some important updates:**

 **1\. The music that helps inspire the character relationships/Isabella's character in general are on my 8tracks account! Same username as here and same title as the story, so go check it out! I need to fix the annotations on the songs later though...**

 **2\. I'm done with mid-terms, and hello spring break! I have nothing to do this week besides one work shift, so I'm gonna stock pile some. You should get a lot of updates this week if I don't get writer's block.**

 **3\. Some of you might remember me mentioning how I had another version of this with Isabella slightly younger and not part of the Reapers? Well, I'm gonna finish fixing that up this week, and hopefully, I will have it posted before spring break is over! I shall let you all know when it is up! I think I'm gonna title it "Twist." How does that sound? Warning though: it will be M mostly for gore type stuff. Maybe something raunchy if I can manage to write it. ^^;**

 **4\. So, this story has gotten a little borderline M at times, and I swear, I never intended for that to happen... but yeah, I haven't wrote much gore though I like to and I've avoided the idea of writing anything sex because I _really_ do not want to up the rating on this... but I think I might post a little side thing to this story that only has random M scenes that I could not put into this. It would be titled "Snap." (So, the Isabella stories would be "Tilt", "Twist", and "Snap" which I think complements each other.)**

 **Ex.- How Isabella's dad tried killed her, how Sebastian killed Isabella's dad, sexy times with Isabella and others if I can stop blushing long enough to write the damn scenes... and maybe one or two 'What ifs' as far as sexy times goes. Such as, I know a lot of you like Isabella/William, so even though in the main story they will never be anything more than a close sibling relationship, I could write out a 'what could have happened' cause the idea intrigues me. (Fan service at its finest~ XD)**

 **Anyway, on to the reviews/story!**

 **AboveReality: Sorry for the cliffhanger! I really did not realize that it sort of was one when I wrote the chapter. And thank you!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: *wonders what you mean* *rereads chapters* *blushes madly for missing an innuendo that I actually wrote* *dies in a corner***

 **Mystirica18: Yes. Yes she will. v_v**

 **Tails307: Maaaaaaaybe. And maybe a bit of taunting her first. XD**

 **Midnightsalem: No she did not. XD And yes, I like to think that Vincent would just go "fuck it. She's part demon, let her do what she wants" and thus the little badass was born~ And I really do appreciate it! :D**

 **NekoGirl02: Umm... okay, thanks. I know that the story has some mistakes, especially since I write the skeleton structures out at like 2am before editing the next day. You sound kind of like you are mad about it though?... Sorry?... *shrug***

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Her Instincts.**

* * *

Tightly clutching her training scythe, the newest addition to the Shinigami Academy steadily followed the instructor in front of her. Her mind spun as she processed all that had occurred in just the past 24 hours. Everything seemed to be happening at once, and she still felt a little emotionally unstable from the… _incident_ with her father last week…her father and _him_.

Shaking her head, she banished all thoughts of those two from her mind. Her new existence lay before her, and she already knew she had her work cut out for her. The higher ups barely accepted her, and the only reason they did was because of the shortage of Reapers in the England branch, especially specialists. Actually, that branch had no specialists currently, hence the importance of hurrying her training to be put out in the field.

Finally reaching their destination, her guide gruffly stated for her to go into this room and wait before angrily storming away. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she entered the training room. No one seemed to appreciate her presence. Part of her wondered which type was worse: the ones who ignored her or the ones who acted like she was the Anti-Christ.

Well, she guessed an argument could be made that a demon/reaper hybrid _could_ be the equivalent of a devil's spawn, but she liked to think otherwise.

Still, none of them had even given her a chance! She spoke to them both cheerfully and respectfully, yet based on their reactions, you would think she had just stabbed them in the foot with a rusty fork. Quite honestly, it was a bit ridiculous. "Maybe I should just stab them…" she muttered darkly. "Might make this nightmare worth it to see them hopping around."

"Oh, joy. It talks to itself."

The bland yet disgusted voice came from the doorway, and Isabella's head snapped over to see the Reaper. Dressed in a plain black suit, he adjusted his simple frame glasses upon his nose. His neatly trimmed ebony hair remained pristinely slicked back against his head, and her eyes widened with recognition.

It was _him._ The Reaper that appeared at the manor all those years ago… the one she swore she would prove herself to, the one she swore would know her name. Childish naivety had long since passed, and she knew that the oath was a bit dramatic, but still… she felt as if fate itself had caused their paths to cross again. Unfortunately, his face remained expressionless, though she could easily read his eyes…

She was becoming very familiar with recognizing that hate.

"How I managed to end up with this degrading assignment, I will never understand." He barely even looked at her before turning his attention to his clipboard. Her hands tightened on her training scythe the longer he spoke. "Your outfit is deplorable for a lady your age… but then again, I guess you are not a lady."

Her gaze dropped to the floor, her body quivering, upset by his harsh words. She tightened the trench coat that the Undertaker had so kindly gifted her over her chest, hiding the corset and leather pants she had chosen because of how they were easier to move around in than heavy skirts. Burying her anger, she spoke with a surprisingly calm voice. "No, I have never really considered myself a proper lady, but this outfit will make it easier to fight off demons."

Emerald green eyes flickered up to her in momentary shock, but the emotion was quickly hidden before she even noticed it. "Hmm… Well, the sooner you are trained, the sooner you are no longer my problem. My name is William T. Spears, and I shall be your instructor until further notice."

And so, the lesson began. And by lesson, she felt it more to be an attack against her. He did not hold back, claiming to be 'testing' her skills. Many close calls came from his scythe, the shears growing closer and closer to piercing straight through her. Still, no matter how aggressive he became, she remained in the defensive, never once taking a shot and simply trying her best to block his assault. She would prove herself to him, no matter what it took. She would earn his respect.

By the lesson's end, she was bruised, battered, and torn between crying and screaming. All of this, however, she did not voice. She kept her back straight, her chin high, even as the exhaustion made her limbs begin to shake. Though the Reaper noticed her state through her attempts to hide it, he did not comment. The guilt he felt that tried to crawl to the surface was blatantly ignored.

"You have a ways to go," he stated stiffly. "Go sleep and be on time tomorrow. I will not tolerate you being a moment late, _vermin_."

Her body went rigid, her face blank. He did not know what to expect in that moment, as her mind seemed to twist and turn, processing his harsh words. Suddenly, much to his shock, she _bowed_ to him. "Thank you, sir." As she rose, a bright smile rested on her face, but her eyes… the two blood red orbs that had held such a fire when the session started, even when the session ended…

Her eyes looked broken.

All because of one word.

All because of him.

Still maintaining her fake confidence, she turned to leave the room, stiffly walking away without glancing back or faltering. Internally, William felt the guilt eat away at him again. Part of him felt that he should hate her, condemn her, do everything in his power to get rid of this taint that dared claim the title as one of the Shinigami. However, her face flashed across his mind… those broken eyes were out of place on one as young as she. And though he knew the break was not solely his fault, for many of the Shinigami had been whispering hateful words for the new Reaper since she arrived yesterday, he certainly did not help the poor girl.

Shaking his head, he did his best to forget about her eyes. Demons had no true feelings other than a ravenous hunger for souls. She was just another one of those vile beasts simply masquerading as a Reaper in training. She deserved nothing but his scorn… No, she did not even deserve his acknowledgment—

In that moment, he realized he had never even asked her name.

* * *

Ciel eyed the two beings in front of him. He had expected a bit more… _confrontation_ from the pair, but aside from the little hints of bickering followed by a hushed exchange of words, no other words were exchanged between his butler and cousin for the majority of the carriage ride. They almost appeared to be acting _civil_.

However, the Young Earl knew Isabella well, and he knew that something was off. After years of spending most of his days attached to her side, he considered himself an expert at reading her. The stiffness of her shoulders and the way her spine straightened almost uncomfortably were clear indicators of her mood.

Isabella was _pissed_.

Her silence spoke volumes. Ciel's father rarely censored the young woman, allowing her to speak her mind freely. Though not proper behavior for the average noblewoman, she made the perfect Phantomhive Lady, with coyness and grace finely tuned against a sharp tongue and dangerous temper. The only time Isabella would ever suppress her temper would be if she were working an angle, trying to gain favor with her opponent.

What could be her reasons behind curbing her distaste for Sebastian? With his orders to not harm her paired with her obvious hatred of the demon who owned his soul, Ciel would imagine that nothing would hold back her temper and barbed words.

A nudge to his ribs broke his train of thought. Turning to glare at the Reaper beside him, he found himself being grinned at, Ronald having noticed the boy's focus of attention. Shoving his clipboard at Ciel, he motioned for the Young Earl to read the sloppy scrawl.

 _You noticed her acting weird too, huh?_

Scowling, Ciel nodded in agreement. Then, Ronald snatched the clipboard back, either not noticing or ignoring Ciel's huff of displeasure over his lack of manners. After scribbling for a bit, he thrust the clipboard back into the boy's hands.

 _I could hear them. Thank you super Reaper hearing! Basically, sounded like angry name calling from Isabella at first, then she apologized and called a truce with your demon. They actually made a_ _deal_ _!_

Forgetting his manners as well, Ciel snatched the Reaper's pen, either not noticing or ignoring his cheeky grin. After a few seconds, he handed back his neatly written response.

 _Isabella actually_ _apologized_ _? And what is so important about a deal?_

 _Yep. She did. Genuine sounding too. And kid, demon deals are a HUGE thing. They take their promises seriously. You don't get away with breaking a deal. They are practically on the same level as soul contracts. No take backs, no changing your mind unless both parties agree. They've had the equivalent of wars for this kind of thing._

Ciel frowned, not liking where this was going.

 _What exactly did they make a deal for?_

 _Basically a promise not to be at each other's throats for your sake. Sebastian gets peace of mind and no risk of angering you for disemboweling your cousin in a frustrated rage, and in return, he is going to train Isabella's demonic abilities. How awesome is that?!_

 _Why do I have a feeling this will end terribly?_

* * *

"I think I can sum up this town in three words."

Ciel turned his attention to Isabella, who had still not spoken for a while now. Her eyes still remained locked on the old woman disappearing into the fog, and he imagined she likely could still hear the creepy tune song by the mad woman. "Oh? And what would that be?"

Placing her gaze on Ciel, she held up a fist and ticked off fingers for each word she spoke. "Weird. As. Fuck."

The Young Earl's jaw dropped at the profanity, while Ronald snickered. Sebastian shot her a disapproving look. "Such fowl language from a lady…"

"Not a lady." Before he could reply, she cut him off. "I can play a lady just fine around those ass-kissers you all call nobles, but I shall not put up a front around my cousin and friends." Then, eyeing Sebastian, she added as an afterthought, "And demons I tolerate."

The butler just shook his head, a slight smirk playing on his face. "I will believe it when I see it."

"Tch," she replied, eyes roving the dreary countryside. "But seriously, just my luck for a case to be in a town full of _dogs_. Ugh."

A full-blown grin broke out on Sebastian's face. "Oh my, how could I forget? A cat demon amongst droves of canines… this certainly shall be interesting."

"Oh, come on," Ronald remarked from his seat. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

Ciel sent Ronald a tired scowl. "There is a reason my predecessors did not get me a dog till _after_ Isabella's passing."

The cart had just reached the outskirts of the town, and soon, loud barking could be heard from just up the road. Everyone's eyes widened as several very angry looking dogs sped towards the carriage, making a beeline to Isabella's side. Jumping and snarling, seven dogs swarmed the ground just next to her seat, their hackles raised at the perceived threat.

Isabella went tense, her shoulders rising as she pushed away from the dogs. Her eyes morphed into glowing magenta and nails extended into vicious looking claws as she swiped one hand at the canines before letting out an angry hiss as a threat. The dogs continued their assault, trying to jump on the carriage, and Isabella crawled farther away, not noticing as she ended up in an amused Sebastian's lap. A low growl came from her throat, rising into a yowl that certainly proved to all the humans present that she was definitely _far_ from human.

Seeming to have found a satisfactory amount of amusement from the current situation, Sebastian turned his attention to the dogs, allowing his aura to rise and his eyes to flair to his familiar magenta slits. With pathetic whimpers, the dogs cowered away from the demon before sprinting back into town, yipping in fear all the way.

"Wow, that was scary!" Finny called from the back cart.

"Oi, Sebastian!" Bard yelled out. "Is Isabella okay?"

A content smile on his face as he wrapped an arm around the still tense Isabella whose eyes had yet to change back to her usual blood red, he replied without removing his attention from her. "Yes, the lady is simply upset over the circumstances."

Lifting his free hand to his mouth, he bit the tip of a gloved finger, pulling off the article. Then, he rested a hand on her head, causing her to flinch, before stroking his fingers through her hair, fingers weaving through the blue-black tresses and undoing the last remnants of braids. Though still growling under her breath, she relaxed at the motion, leaning into his hand subconsciously and eventually allowing her growl to shift into a steady purr.

"Sebastian," Ciel blandly drawled. "Just _what_ are you doing?"

"Now, now, Young Master," he softly called back. "I am merely calming your dear cousin…" Tightening his grip around her waist, he moved his hand behind her ear to rub the spot, eliciting a louder purr and even a soft mewl from the half-demon. With a pleased smirk, he leaned in to her ear and cooed, "My, aren't you _responsive_ , little one? Giving in to your baser animal instincts… usually I find the lack of control so distasteful, but oh, you do so make a _perfect_ little kitten…"

"You know," Ronald remarked, having a slightly disturbed face at the two beings in the driver's seat. "If Senior William was here, I'm pretty sure he'd be _having_ a kitten right about now."

The words seemed to click in Isabella's mind, and she bolted up from her spot leaning against Sebastian, irises shifting back to their normal color. Were it not for his arm tightly wrapped around her waist, she would have fallen head over heels off the carriage. Wide eyes turned to meet his grinning face, which in turn caused her eyes to narrow dangerously as she scowled at him.

"Bad puppy!" she scolded, lightly cuffing him upside the head. "Let go!"

"But my Lady…" he cooed again, his grin never faltering. " _You_ were the one who crawled over here in the first place. What if the dogs were to return?"

"Sebastian!" Ciel finally snapped. "Let her go and hurry up! The sooner we arrive, the better!"

With a sad sigh, Sebastian deposited the still scowling Isabella back on the seat before gathering up the reins. "Yes, my Lord…" Snapping the horses back into motion, the carriages yet again began to move, and Isabella mentally prayed that this trip would just hurry up and be done with.

"Isabella," Ciel called out. "You have never responded like that around dogs before. What happened?"

She shifted nervously, shrugging at the question. "No idea. Maybe the fact that there were so many attacking at once?... I do not remember my control ever slipping like that before."

"I should have expected this," Sebastian remarked, seeming lost in thought. "You are being exposed more to my demonic presence, a presence you often view as a threat, hence your demonic powers are likely flaring beneath the surface."

"It's not like you are the first demon I've interacted with," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest with a pout. "I knew one far longer than I have been speaking with you."

His arched a brow at this little tidbit of information, filing it away to ask about later. "Well, was this _before_ you became of the Shinigami?" She slowly nodded. "So, _before_ you gained not only the power increase with your Shinigami abilities, but also before you had fully matured your demonic powers in general." She opened her mouth to speak, but promptly shut it, not knowing what to say. "So, needless to say, your instincts are much more volatile now than when you first met that _other_ demon…"

"That explains it," Ronald quipped. "The butler has your instincts stressed out. Add in the angry mutts and instant freaked out demon cat!"

Isabella groaned, dropping her head into her hands as she raked her fingers through her hair. "Ugh, I do _not_ need this to deal with… Ronald, _please_ leave this out of the report."

Ciel's visible eye narrowed in suspicion. "What would happen if your superiors were to know about this incident?"

"William would toss me into training for the next month or longer, depending on how fast I mastered this issue," Isabella stated with a weary sigh. "If my other superiors found out…"

She trailed off, refusing to look at the others. Ronald, in an uncharacteristically solemn voice, replied, "She would be deemed unsafe. They would likely do to her what they do to any other Shinigami that cannot perform properly… they would scrap her."

"What does that mean?" Ciel demanded.

"They would burn her Cinematic Record." His voice came out in a whisper, and Sebastian's spine stiffened at his words.

"And what happens when your record is burned?"

Ronald seemed unwilling to elaborate, refusing to meet the boy's gaze. Ciel looked towards his cousin, yet she also would not look at him. Finally, he settled for boring his eyes into Sebastian's back, wanting him to give an explanation. With clipped words as he eyed the silent young woman beside him, Sebastian explained.

"Her soul would be destroyed. Isabella would cease to exist."


	22. Her Death

**_Author's Note:_ Hello all! Guess what? I've finally posted the alternate version of Isabella's story! It's titled "Twist", and I hope to have the next chapter up later tonight! Please check it out!**

 **Also, this chapter is a little shorter, but I think it fleshes out Isabella's personality and her mind a bit more.**

 **Tails307: Thank you! I actually came up with that just as I was finishing up the chapter, but it helps tie things together later in the story. And aww, thanks!**

 **Yancelebi: YES. Such cute little psychos~ I love them to bits, and they write so well together! I can't wait for their later interactions in the story.**

 **DeathyIceMaiden: I like to think that as genius as Ciel is, all this magic and paranormal stuff goes over his head. He's like, "I know it exists but I chose to ignore it till someone shoves it in my face."**

 **Zoela: OH yes. I absolutely love the manga, but certain elements from the anime work in nicely with the story. SO, expect mostly manga with a dash of anime.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Her Death.**

* * *

Isabella always knew one day she would die.

Falling in slow motion, she felt her heart beat slowly within her chest. Blood covered her pale skin, oozing out of various punctures wounds, so numerous that she wondered if one could tell who she was. Gunshot after gunshot, each hitting her with such poor aim, and then the knife sinking in and out of her flesh so many times she lost count, the sound still echoing in her ears as he repeatedly buried the blade up to the hilt within her torso.

Vaguely, she questioned where _he_ was. She thought he would have been displeased with her father's actions. He acted as if he cared for her well-being. But then again, he held a contract with Lancastor. Perhaps the soul of such a twisted man was worth more than a brief lover.

She wondered if she would survive this fall. Leaping from her third story balcony would have killed her at eight-years-old. The Undertaker, however, had said that she was much stronger now at sixteen years of age, mentioning rituals and such necessary for killing her now that her powers had matured. He had been very detailed about the process she would have to undergo to become of the Shinigami.

But she felt so _tired_. Very little blood still pumped through her veins, and her eyelids drooped as she finally made contact with the icy cold water of the Thames. Light of the moon shone in fractures through the rippled surface of the river as she hovered in the water. Frozen in time, her limbs grew heavy, and the half-demon girl gave into the flow of the river as she awaited Death's final call.

* * *

"No, it's nothing of import, my Lord," Sebastian remarked smoothly. "Simply that while I love cats, I am not especially fond of dogs." Eyeing the young Earl who watched him critically, he added, "To be quite frank, I hate them."

Nothing was said for a moment, till Ciel broke the silence. "Woof."

Blood red eyes impassively watched the young man a short ways from the moving carriage. Playing in the yard in front of his simple house, a fair sized dog jumped and yipped, enjoying his time with his master. Both seemed so happy, so carefree. If only the young man knew.

Life and Death. Such simple constructs that become so endlessly complicated when you let your mind wander. One scrambles through life, trying to make the most of the time you have on this physical plane. You fight and struggle, bargain and steal, clawing out some little corner in time to call your own. All the while, you run from Death. You fight off starvation, injury, and sickness, hoping to earn more time with Life.

But Death is inevitable. Running from Death is like running from your shadow: always just behind you even if you are not thinking of it. Most embrace Life, trying to become something noticeable, something worthy, not realizing that in the grand scheme of things that everything you accomplish, everything you earn, will mean nothing once your Death finally comes.

Isabella knew all of this since a young age, yet she clung to Life when she had it. She clung to her daily routine within her Uncle's manor. She clung to practicing her violin, perfecting each note, each melody. She clung to Ciel, her beloved little cousin that lit up her very soul…

Yet, she understood the inevitable. She understood Death… to a degree, at least. So, when her father made his move, she made her own. She accepted Death, wrapping herself in his arms like a lover's embrace.

She gave up her daily routine.

She gave up her violin.

And most painfully of all… she gave up Ciel.

Yet, here she sat in this carriage, planning a routine for at the manor, thinking of her violin waiting in her Shinigami quarters, and claiming Ciel once again. She clung to Life as much as any other being, no matter how much she admired and embraced Death. She and this young man were similar in regards to life, and soon, they would be similar in regards to Death.

Once he accepts Death, that is.

* * *

"This way please."

Stepping past the soft-spoken maid, Isabella could not help but narrow her eyes in suspicion. Something just seemed… _off_ about the woman. Appearance wise, she was beautiful, but even her beauty added to Isabella's tension. The woman was just too beautiful, too graceful, too…

Perfect.

Isabella had always hated perfection. Perfection was cold, almost sterile in her mind. True perfection did not exist: Like a porcelain doll, though she may appear flawless on the surface, you only have to look inside. For inside the doll, nothing but a hollow, dark emptiness awaits you.

Tilting her head, Isabella pondered that if she were to hit the woman, she would crack like the porcelain she appeared to be made of.

Her thoughts were broken as she finally noticed the Lord Barrymore. His thick arm lifted in the air, bringing down a dog whip to strike the maid, eliciting a pained yelp. "Who the devil is this Chihuahua?!" the burly man bellowed, repeatedly striking the woman as he continued to berate her. "I told you to go receive the Queen's messenger!"

"Chihuahua…" muttered Sebastian as Ciel shot the Lord a bland look of displeasure. Isabella felt as if she were not in her own head at the moment, simply watching the exchange without the ability to respond. Her eyes focused in on the whip, the bellowing voice, her thoughts slipping back into past memories so old yet still so fresh in her mind.

"Can't you even do a simple thing like that Angela?!"

She heard the words, but processed nothing, remembering the feeling of a painful stinging slap across her cheek, the taste of blood on her tongue from her teeth colliding with the inside of her mouth due to the violent blow. Her face flinched from the sensation, but a moment later she realized that it had been nothing but a ghost of a memory plaguing her. Though she quickly composed herself from the flinch, out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sebastian watching her, almost judging her reaction to the scene.

Finally, Ciel spoke up. "Sebastian." Within a moment, the butler had the Lord's arm restrained, stopping the man from striking the maid yet again.

Glaring at Sebastian, the Lord declared harshly, "What are you doing, you filthy Doberman?! Trying to bite my head off, are you?! Let me go!"

Finally shaking off her frozen stupor, Isabella finally spoke, amusement lacing her voice. "Tch, you seem quite fond of dog comparisons. And you are wasting your breath trying to order the puppy around."

"He follows only _my_ orders," Ciel stated haughtily.

"What?..." Barrymore asked in confusion.

Moving to sit, Ciel continued to speak. "It sounds as though you got my letter." He lounged casually in his seat, resting his cane on the tabletop. "I am Ciel Phantomhive."

Yanking his arm free of Sebastian's grip, Barrymore spoke in disbelief. "You mean to tell me a little toy poodle like you is Her Majesty's messenger?!"

"You disapprove of small breeds, Lord Barrymore?"

"I guess that is to be expected of an undisciplined mutt," Isabella aloofly remarked as she leaned against the table next to her cousin, a coy smirk resting on her lips as she slowly slipped into her persona. This was what Uncle Vincent had raised her to be. Ciel's right hand, her mother's daughter, a true villainous noblewoman of the Phantomhive family.

Snarling, Barrymore demanded, "Who is this bitch?!"

Eyes narrowing dangerously, Ciel stiffly responded, "This is my cousin, Lady Isabella Phantomhive." She felt her breath hitch at the last name Ciel so easily bestowed upon her. "You would be wise to show her respect. Neither she nor I are someone you would want to cross."

* * *

Scoffing angrily, Isabella shook her head in disbelief. "The man is an utter lunatic."

Ciel nodded his head in agreement, speaking up to his cousin as they walked through the halls of the old, eerie manor. "I am heavily inclined to agree. Trying to claim the existence of a 'demon hound' is quite insane…"

"I was not referring to the demon hound," Isabella quipped, amused when Ciel looked up to her in shock. "While I have no idea if they exist or not, let alone if one is in this backwater town, I know for a fact that Barrymore certainly doesn't control one: he has no power beyond his little mental delusions of playing king to this hell hole of a town."

Sebastian eyed the girl appreciatively. "Well, you certainly have an open mind to the situation."

"I am a half demon turned Shinigami. I saw my soul collection at eleven, my father tried to murder me by shooting and stabbing me repeatedly before throwing me off a freaking bridge, my best friend started off hating me as if I were the Anti-Christ, I regularly transform into a cat, and I've had two family members sell their souls to demons." She scoffed in disdain. "My life is like a bad paranormal drama trying way too hard to paint me as some tragic heroine. What else is life going to throw at me? _Angels_?"

Ciel halted in his steps, brows scrunching in confusion. "What do you mean two family members entered demon contracts?"

Her shoulders tensed, stopping a few feet in front of him. Refusing to look back, she hesitantly stated, "My father… he wanted Uncle Vincent to suffer." She laughed hollowly. "Never got his contract fulfilled. William went to collect his soul and found out the demon he contracted never got the chance cause of the fire… the demon still took his soul though."

His face pale, the young Earl continued onwards silently, not wanting to comment on the situation. Had it not been for her coworker confirming the contract, he might have assumed that the Earl Lancastor had been the one to burn down his manor. However, Mr. Spears seemed extremely competent in such matters, and Isabella would not lie to him. "So, did you ever meet this demon?"

"I do not wish to talk about him." Her words were blunt and final as her gaze remained locked straight ahead of her. "Now, if you would excuse me, I need to go find Ronald. I will be busy till late tonight."

Before either the Earl or the butler could comment, she disappeared down the hall without so much as a glance back.


	23. Her Rebirth

**_Author's Note:_ Okay, WARNING: The opening is slightly weird (okay, it is fucking weird) and I;m sorry but it happened and I like it for some reason and it there so yeah. Please don't judge me... ^^;**

 **Also, sorry all for the weird temporary post the other day. The fan theory just threw me through a loop and also I decided I just can't properly work it in to my story ideas. Not a big loss.**

 **Anyway, on to the story!**

 **DeathyIceMaiden: That gave me shivers. O_O**

 **Tails307: I am so horrible to poor Isabella. ^^; But I'm glad that the chapter did properly portray her personality!**

 **Midnightsalem: YUS. I kind of took the quick roundabout way of showing her murder, but yeah. I will go into detail later.**

 **: Awww, thank you!**

 **Princess de la Luna: Thanks! And um, I tend to keep chapter lengths pretty consistent between stories so yeah... they will all be around the same length as they are now. And as far as updating goes, I think I've only once or twice have taken longer than 4-7days to update. But yeah, I am in college taking science courses and that takes priorities so if life happens, the story will have to wait... And no, I don't watch or read any of those.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: Her Rebirth.**

* * *

Long, ragged black nails traced along smooth, pale flesh, marveling at the color. Skin as white as wax, not hint of a blush rested along her cheeks as the blood had long since cooled and coagulated in her veins. His equally pale knuckles brushed along her jawline, marveling at the frigid feeling of her soft skin.

Death suited her. Never had he seen her so carefree, her face so content, her eyelids relaxed as if in a rare, peaceful sleep. Were he to open her eyes, he would see the cloudy depths of her red irises, the color slightly marred but made all the worth it to see not a hint of worry or self-doubt within her gaze.

His hand moving again, his nails traced along her jugular, surprisingly still intact despite the condition she had been brought to him in. He continued to trace downwards, his nail slowly trailing along down her sternum, pushing away the thin sheet draped across her torso. She would appreciate the modesty in case someone came wandering in, but he had already seen her without it.

As her chest was revealed to him, he did not marvel at her as any usual man would marvel at a topless woman. No, he focused on his craftsmanship. When she had been carted in his shop, he had lamented at how much they had ruined her, riddling her full of so many holes, her body water logged from floating along the Thames. Her film hung limply from her body, not quite ready to be cut, but showing enough to know she danced along the edge of losing herself, courting the very Death that fascinated them both. She could easily fall head long into her suitor's embrace should the Undertaker give her the proper nudge…

But, he was greedy. He wanted more time with her, and he wanted to drag her along with him down the tortuous and lonely existence of the Shinigami, just so that he could indulge in her slowly decaying mind that mirrored his so easily. So, with meticulous care, he fixed her, taking his precious time to patch up his treasured student. She would recover with or without his help: her demon blood would not allow her to pass on from mere human weapons, just leave her vulnerable to whoever wandered upon the little Lady.

Staring at his masterpiece, he traced each stitch, each gash within her dead flesh. Beautiful before, he felt as if now a Goddess lay before him, one worthy to stand at Death's side. His perfect, bizarre little doll. He had never looked at her this way before, yet now he found her… _entrancing_. His fingers drew back up her sternum, his hand resting at the hollow of her throat. Leaning forward, he found his face hovering above hers, his lips ever so close to her own.

And before he knew what had happened, he closed the gap.

She was cold. Soft skin did not move except in response to his exploring mouth. His tongue traced her lips, tasting her skin, finding it to be like a rich, smooth aged brandy. Oh, how he could become drunk off of that taste, and he began to deepen the kiss, his hand tightening around her throat as he lost himself in the sensation.

But, before he could continue his mad descent into pleasure, he felt a weak, faint pulse beneath his palm.

She was finally waking. A pang of remorse filled him as he realized once she woke, her blood will flow once again, ruining the perfect, waxy color of her skin and the wounds would slowly heal, ruining his masterful stitch work as Life claimed her once more. Such a pity… yet he took comfort in the thought that soon after returning to Life, she would choose to follow Death again, becoming a loyal servant as one of the Shinigami. This pleased the retired Reaper as he continued to hover over the girl, his face still inches from hers, as her body slowly began to warm.

Her eyes opened, flashing a brilliant magenta.

He smiled.

"Welcome back, my little Lady."

* * *

Isabella could not help the sense of pride swelling within her as Ronald finished his collection. She had done nothing to earn it, having taken no part in the boy's training, yet the pride still lingered as she watched intently from a slight distance away in her usual Reaper clothes. Her eyes glowed a bright green behind the simple tied on lace veil, and her fingers subconsciously traced the funeral locket hanging from a loose chained her waist.

Villagers had begun to mill about, all whispering in shock and horror as they stared at the slowly cooling corpse, and Isabella made another note on the file she held. Ronald had successfully gone unnoticed to all, even the ones that were old and close to Death. William had warned her to pay close attention to the elderly, because they could sometimes see through a Reaper's camouflage. The closer you are to Death, the more attuned you are to Death's workings.

Allowing her mind to drift as Ronald began to watch the film, she smiled faintly, remembering her encounters with Death. The experiences had been… _invigorating_. Her life flashed before her eyes, forcing her to relive all the pain and joy and dullness nestled into every corner of her life. Her first Death had been bumpy and disjointed, her film jumping around as if bits of film had jammed in various places. The Undertaker had blamed this on her only temporarily dead state, with her film attempting to rewind itself back into her consciousness, a process which is unnatural for most souls.

Following the film, she had found herself almost floating within an empty void. Whispers surrounded her, caressing her like a soft wind, telling her stories of tragedies and sorrow felt as soul after soul crossed the threshold of Death. The thin wisps and remnants of the souls' energy passed her by, some slow, some quick, yet all embraced Death, the ominous, limitless void of power, which hung just of her reach.

Then, she found herself being jerked back into Life's hold, away from Death's grasp. Her eyes opened stiffly, and she saw the Undertaker, leaning in closely above her, a grin plastered on his lips. He asked what Death was like. Her response was slow, her words breathy as her eyes remained unfocused.

"Death was… _everything_. And nothing. A limitless void, filled yet empty. So very, very empty…"

His face drew closer, his glowing green eyes locked with hers as he hovered just an inch or so from her face. He asked if Death scared her. Her response was quick, her word was firm.

"No."

He asked if she wanted to meet Death again.

"Yes."

The second time to see Deathhad been so much smoother, flowing as a properly collected film reel should. So bittersweet, the flashbacks were, causing her to ache down to her soul, yet she endured, and soon, she found herself floating once more within Death's realm. However, she did not remain still this time. She moved with a purpose, drawing towards Death, towards the void, accepting its embrace…

She did not warm this time. She felt no transition, no jolt from one world to the next. Between seconds as if she blinked, one second she was in Death's hold, the next, she was laying on the Undertaker's slab yet again. She simply…

Existed.

Her body felt cold. Her heart sat still. Her eyes gazed forward at the mirror the Undertaker held above her face. And they were not the usual, blood red irises that marked her demon heritage. No, her eyes glowed a familiar, bright and haunting green.

Her thoughts were jerked back into the present by a cry of triumph from Ronald. He rose from the ground, lifting up his training scythe before making a clean, well-executed cut of the finished filmstrips.

Collecting the film and making a few final notes before stamping his file, he spun around to face her, yelling, "Who's the man?" She then noticed as an old woman began to look around frantically for the source of the disembodied voice, and Isabella suppressed a snicker at Ronald's sheepish expression as he shuffled towards her. "Whoops…"

"Hey, your shielding is amazing considering this is your first time testing on humans," she remarked. "Apparently you just need to work a _teensy_ bit on shielding sounds."

His shoulders slumped. "And here I thought my test would be flawless."

"Kid, she looks as if she should have kicked the bucket ten years ago," Isabella quipped to the downtrodden graduate. "She is practically the walking dead already. And its to be expected for a newbie: your shields are like a muscle. They get stronger the more you use it. You should be in the clear after about a month or so of practice in the field."

He brightened at the advice, but before he could respond, they noticed some familiar figures approaching. "Oh look! Here comes your cousin and the Demon."

"Tch." A smirk played on her lips as she watched their approach intently. "Looks like the Queen's Watchdog is at work…"

She and Ronald stood just a few short yards from the gathered crowd, people passing them by and walking around them while not actually seeing the two Reapers. Ciel, however, locked eyes with Isabella from the other side of the crowd, looking ready to call out to her till she raised her finger to her lips in a shushing motion. Her smirk growing to a grin, she strode to the nearest villager and began waving her hand in front of the man's face, showing how he could not see her.

As Sebastian leaned towards the confused Young Earl to whisper in his ear, presumably to explain their Reaper abilities, Ronald moved towards her and asked, "How can he see us? I understand the Demon, but the kid…?"

"His soul is no longer our jurisdiction," she replied with a sigh. "The moment a human contracts a demon, we loose all power over them unless the contract is voided or paused. Our powers no longer work on Ciel…"

"I take it that such a thing is rare…?" Ronald pressed cautiously, a solemn look on her face.

She did not respond. Her eyes tracked her cousin, watching as he attempted to examine the body only to be confronted by Barrymore. Content that nothing of threat would come to happen, she turned back to Ronald, a bright smile on her face. "Come on: let's go catch some sleep. You may have passed, but I still have a big case tomorrow."

"Well, alright. Let's— Wait, did you just say I passed?!"

Laughing, her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Congrats, co-worker. You are officially a Reaper. Now, try to keep up!" With that, she darted off at an inhuman speed back towards Barrymore manor as the exuberant new Reaper chased after her.

* * *

Crossing her legs as she sat atop her bed, Isabella sighed in content, letting a little hum come from her throat as she set about the task of braiding her hair loosely. The loose nightgown she wore was old, the white not as pristine as it once was and the hem fraying, yet the cotton had been broken down from years of washings, making it soft and comfy against her skin.

Tying the end of her braid and letting it rest on her shoulder, her humming of her tuneless little song continued as she leaned over to her nightstand, carefully blowing out the candelabra. Then, after running her fingers along the funeral locket resting at her bedside, she finally let herself lay back against the mattress, her head resting on one of the many pillows piled there. She let her mind settle, her body relaxing as she began to doze peacefully.

"My, my. Did someone forget something?" Her eyes flashed open and locked with the glowing magenta slits just inches from her own. "I do believe we have a deal to settle."


	24. Her Situation

**_Author's Note:_ Okay, first off, I AM SORRY. I know its been longer than usual between updates, but I hit a small bit of writer's block. I have like three flashback ideas I have been trying to settle between, and I can't tell which would be best to throw in at this point. SO, I just decided to go ahead and post the present time part of the chapter.**

 **Sorry this is so short. The next one will be long with a flashback, promise!**

 **Other news, I HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT SONG FOR ISABELLA. "Gasoline" by Halsey. Its literally her. I love it so much. Please listen to it!**

 **I feel like I'm forgetting something... *shrug* I will remember it next chapter. But as a side note, between debating flashbacks, I came up with like five fanservice-y ideas for y'all. So. You're welcome. If you suggest any things you want to see in future chapters in the comments, I might be able to work them into the story while I'm still in this frame of mind~ XD**

 **(Oh my god, so many reviews, WTF)**

 ** _Tails307_** **: Oh Sebastian, how could we forget about you? (Like he would let us forget XD) And yay for Ronald! I like him, though I need to reread his manga chapters to perfect his character. I feel like I'm doing him a disservice. And thanks btw about the college thing! Its really been driving me mad lately, but the writing helps to mellow me.**

 ** _Lhasa-Chan_** **: HOLY SHIT. Honestly. I loved your reviews. I got both, and you have no idea how appreciative of them I am. Having such a sweet review is amazing, and it makes me so happy that you enjoy it so much! Hearing that I inspired someone to continue writing is possibly the best thing ever. Writing is amazing to me, and its just one of the many ways for people to express themselves. And I know from experience that the more you read and write the better your stories become. (Seriously, my stories on my last account are horrid...these are moderately better XD) And I'm glad the length seems good! Well, this chapter is way shorter than normal, but you know what I mean.**

 **Also, please be careful! DOn't hurt yourself. I hope your elbow is okay and your glasses survived. ^^;**

 ** _Ghoul-chan_** **: *hides face* I honestly don't know what came over me. That was a spur of the moment idea and it just... well, it just happened. I kind of thought it was beautiful how it turned out, and it set a good tone for the chapter despite the creepiness. But the fact that you liked it so much is awesome! Thanks!**

 ** _MzAkumaGore_** **: AHHHH. I DON'T DESERVE THAT PRAISE. REALLY. i'm trying my best though. Black Butler is one of those stories I feel like where you either hit the tone or miss the mark completely, so I'm really flattered that you think I'm doing it justice! Mixing the anime and the manga is strange, but I think I've finally worked out the kinks for future chapters, and the flashbacks just need to be better planned and timed. And I saw all your reviews! I shall update the other stories, soon, promise! And thank you about Isabella! I really love trying to develop her as a character: a few things to tweak, but she is coming along nicely, I think~**

 ** _DeathlyIceMaiden_** **: I don't know whether to feel sorry for the dude or to point and laugh at his frustration.**

 ** _Princess de la Luna_** **: Thank you!**

 ** _S-Lioness_** **: Sorry about that. Here is some more!**

 ** _ChaoticMango_** **: Aww, thank you, sweetheart~!**

 ** _Ciel Phantomhive_** **: Thanks! And here is that update!**

 ** _Lootmagoot_** **: O_O**

 **Oh my lord. Thanks for all the reviews! That was really sweet of you! And Ka'Lani certainly is enthusiastic. XD**

 **Also... yeah, the Inuyasha thing was an accident. I blame the ten updates i made earlier that day on my Inuyasha drabble story. ^^;**

 ** _Zeila27_** **: Aww, thank you! And yes, torturing Sebastian is a fun past time. v_v The cat qualities are fun to work into her character: I'm trying not to overdo it though. ^^;**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Her Situation.**

* * *

Isabella was loath to admit that she hesitated. Sebastian had caught her off guard, and her mind seemed to stutter, tripping over itself as she failed to process the implications of the smirking demon's face hovering so closely above her own. Then, the moment his presence clicked, she snapped into action.

One leg bent up to her chest to press her foot to his own chest, harshly shoving him back. As she shoved him away, her arm reached to her hip, intent to draw her scythe, only to her dismay, she found her holster shockingly _empty_.

"Looking for this?" he drawled from a few paces away. Resting in the palm of his hand, he held up her collapsed scythe. She darted off the bed to snatch it from him, but he gracefully turned out of the way, tightening his grip on the weapon before holding it above his head. "Tsk, is that anyway for a Lady to act? You should learn how to ask more politely rather than trying to snatch everything you want."

Glaring daggers towards the butler, she snapped in retort, "Says the man who invaded a Lady's privacy and takes her belongings. What form of manners is _that_?"

His face portrayed mock hurt as he placed his free hand over where his heart should be. "My Lady, you _wound_ me: I am merely performing my duties as the Phantomhive butler. Since Young Master has claimed you under his name, you are now a member of his household. It is my responsibility to see to your needs."

"You can take your _responsibility_ and shove it up your—"

" _Language_ , my Lady."

She gave a cry of outrage, throwing her hands up in the air. "Fine! Whatever! Just give me back my scythe, Sebastian."

He seemed genuinely pleased with the use of his name. Lowering his hand, he held out his palm to her with the scythe resting in it. She quickly grabbed it before stalking over to the bed. Propping up her foot, she pulled back her nightgown to expose her hip, slipping her beloved weapon back into its holster.

Sebastian's eyes flashed magenta as he stared at her toned, pale leg she so naively exposed before him. With a labored tone that did not match his words, he stated, "My Lady, it is not proper to expose yourself in such a way around men."

She scoffed, dropping her leg back to the ground causing her leg to become obscured once again. "You keep insisting that you serve as my butler, meaning that such thoughts should not cross a _proper_ butler's mind."

He smirked in a way that was very much _not_ proper as he spoke lowly and dangerously, in a way that sent shivers down her spine. "I have never claimed to be _proper_ , my Lady…" Edging forward till he stood just a hair's breath away from her, he leaned in to her ear and added, "Just one _hell_ of a butler…"

She kept her face schooled and neutral as he pulled away from her. "What do you want?"

"I told you we would meet after sunset," he drawled while rolling his eyes. "Only, it seems you forgot and ran out beforehand with Roger."

" _Ronald._ "

"Yes. Him."

Groaning, Isabella pushed back from the butler to sit upon her bed, drawing her knees up to her chest as she rested her chin atop them. "Sebastian, he had his test. I wasn't going to bail because _you_ wanted to meet." He moved to speak, and she held up a finger to silence him. "Telling the time and place is strictly forbidden, and I could not risk you passing on the information to Ciel since our two cases interconnect. My job comes first in this situation."

Sebastian seemed to contemplate her words before finally nodding. "Understandable. If Ciel had pressed myself for information, I would not have been able to avoid telling him."

"Exactly," she declared triumphantly. "Now, get out."

With a low chuckle, he ignored her order and lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Carefully removing his gloves while she eyed him warily, he reminded her, "We still have not sealed our deal, my Lady."

"I am not sealing _any_ deal until you explain _exactly_ what is involved," She explained cautiously, while slowly inching back towards the headboard.

"Oh my," Sebastian stated with a grin that clearly meant he was up to no good. "Is my Lady, perhaps, _nervous_?"

Isabella came to the conclusion that Sebastian had no idea what personal space meant. With his question, he suddenly launched himself towards her. One hand wrapped firmly around her closest thigh, yanking her towards him till her back no longer pressed against the headrest and fell back against the mattress. As she squeaked in protest, his other hand snatched her wrists, pining them above her head.

Before she could form any words, her door slammed open.

"Isabella! I need to have a word with— WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL."

And so, Isabella found herself sprawled flustered on the bed, staring up at the Demon's face hovering an inch above hers, his eyes flashing between their true form and his familiar wine red irises. She wanted to move, but she knew it was useless with the way he had her pinned, with a firm grip on her wrists and waist, and one knee tucked securely between her thighs as he leaned against her chest with his own.

And all of this had occurred just as her twelve-year-old cousin had walked into the room at possibly the _worst_ time ever.

* * *

 **A/N: ...so... sorry -** _not sorry-_ **for the second cliffhanger in a row! GOTTAGOBYE! *runs madly off into the night to hide***


	25. Her Agreement

**_Author's Note:_ I FINALLY FINISHED THE CHAPTER. HOLY CRAP. Writer's block hit me and I rewrote this thing like five times because I wasn't satisfied with the characters. I still think it could be better, but... at least its really long. ^^;**

 **Anyway, I am terribly sorry for the wait. Things have been crazy lately... also, as a quick warning. I am heading into finals and stuff, plus I am moving out of my apartment, so I have decided that between now and June, I will post every two weeks. It gives me more time to write and less stress, plus you all know when to expect the next chapter. After that, I will try and post weekly, and occasionally an extra chapter whenever I get ahead.**

 **In other news, I found out I had a lot of rare stuff on a site that I hardly ever go on anymore. Long story short, I traded a bunch of it for commissions. A** ** _lot_** **of commissions. Be expecting Izzy art soon. I will link it to my profile and let you know as I get more.**

 **Lastly, I finally got another Tumblr account (since my last had to deleted because of reasons). If you like Inuyasha, Kuroshitsuji (of course), and random crap, follow Inu-Kami! You can also message me questions about the story or just chat with me in general~ I'm on a lot, though I might be missing during exam week.**

 **Anyway, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 ** _DeathlyIceMaiden:_ I'M SORRY. ;_; ALSO, WAIT. BAD SEBBY. NOT YET. THAT'S FOR LATER IN THE STORY. SIT PUPPY. (and oh my god, YES. That's what I'm nicknaming her now. Love it~)**

 ** _Arabella:_ They will... eventually... I think... **

**But awww, thank you! :D**

 ** _Mystirica18:_ He really does. But he is perfect for it. XDDD**

 ** _Tails307:_ O_O; *hides***

 **But thank you! She just gets into all kinds of awkward situations with Sebastian, doesn't she? XD**

 ** _Lootmagoot:_ Poor Ka'Lani. Sorry to put you through that. XD**

 **In response to your declarations:**

 **WillxIzzy: No.**

 **Though I am considering fan service because so many people like the pairing. XD**

 **Hasley: Listened to it, loved it, need to buy the album.**

 **Cliffhangers: *insert evil cackling***

 **Bookaholicgurl78: He really is, isn't he? XDDD**

 ** _MzAkumaGore:_ Yes, I just love to torment poor Sebastian~ And Isabella has to put up with a lot of his shit. Cielo is going to have such a migraine with these two. But oh yes, poor innocent souls wandering in at the wrong minute. **

**_AUniqueIndifference:_ I'M SORRY. ;_; But ahhh! Thank you so much! You are so sweet~**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Her Agreement.**

* * *

Sometimes, the smallest of actions can determine your fate. Tiny choices can alter your life. The choice could end it, or save it. Too bad you never know which choice is which until you have made it. One young man learned this the hard way.

"This is wrong."

Groaning, one of the older men shot him a scowl. "Grow up, 'Berty. The world isn't all nice things. Sometimes you gotta get yer hands dirty."

Matching the older man's scowl, the young man snapped back, "Its _Albert_. And there is a fine line between acting my age and aiding in kidnapping of a child! That's way past the point of 'getting your hands dirty.'"

The rest ignored him as they had been doing for the past hour. Albert once again found himself wondering what he was doing here. Joining this gang had been the worst possible choice the twenty-year-old countryman could have made with his life, but at the time, it seemed like the only choice he could make. He could still remember himself as the young orphan with shaggy, sandy blonde hair, traveling the back roads in search of work before wandering into the city and into the gang's grasp. Now, here he was, with about two-dozen other men guarding a child who was tied up and held hostage in the next room.

He felt sick. This was _wrong_. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't unsee the scared and terrified face of the little six-year-old that had been dragged to this warehouse. The other men had jostled the child around, and the sapphire-eyed boy trembled at the threats thrown his way, though he never cried. But when Albert tried to discreetly comfort him, the boy simply looked up at him and mustered a faint smile.

"Isabella will rescue me."

Albert did not know how to respond. The way the little boy said it, the uninhibited belief behind his voice despite his blatant fear… he could still feel the cold dread that jolted down his spine…

"Hey! We got an intruder!"

All the men jumped to the alert, weapons drawn and shouts thrown throughout the open space of the warehouse's main floor. Spinning around to see what had all the other men so riled up, Albert was shocked.

He found himself staring at her, a woman-child sitting in the realm between a girl and a young lady. A calm and yet sinister smirk rested on her face as she slipped off her black over coat, not caring about the dangerous situation she had wandered into as she draped the coat over her arm. Only very faint curves could be seen from the dress she wore, a finely tailored one of a rich sapphire blue that matched the young boy's eyes. He found himself not shocked that they matched, because she was obviously related to the boy, looking strikingly similar and having the same blue-black hair, which fell down her back in messy waves.

Her eyes though. Blood red irises carefully assessed her surroundings while she casually stood no more than three yards from his person with her free arm propped on her hip.

She barely acknowledged the men shouting threats around her, her gaze twitching from one man to the next, the slight movement showing to Albert that while she seemed unphased and uncaring of the thugs, she was certainly not disregarding them. Simply, she neither acknowledged the men nor their weapons as a threat. All she was doing was _counting_ them: counting as if they were stock or inventory, inanimate objects not worthy of lingering glances.

That is, until she settled her gaze upon him.

Piercing eyes that seemed to paralyze him in place, he felt as if the next breath he took would be his last. Lungs tightening as he held in his breath, her lips quirked up into a smirk. Honeyed words coyly dripped from her lips as she spoke to him. "I believe that you mentioned your name was Albert?"

Not sure what else to do, he simply nodded his head.

"Albert," she drawled coyly while holding out her coat. "Would you be a dear and hold onto this?"

Everyone stared at her warily, torn between thinking her mad and feeling nervous over her actions. Mechanically, Albert cautiously approached her, all while her blood red eyes glinted in amusement. As he gently gathered her coat from her arm, she spoke again.

"Thank you, darling… Now, go wait with Ciel."

"Oi!" One of the men of the room had finally found his voice. "I don't know who you think you are, girlie…" The burly and grisly looking man pushed through the crowd, steadily approaching the young lady who watched him disdainfully from the corner of her eyes. "But you better leave before you get hurt."

She did not speak, but merely sighed as the man reached out towards her, intent on grabbing her shoulder forcefully. Yet, in a flash of movement, the man flipped through the air before being slammed back down. A booted heel grinding his face into ground, the young lady standing tall over him while she had his arm pulled into a painful position in the air behind the fallen man.

"Albert, dear," she stated in a more forceful tone while she lifted her gaze back to him. "Go wait with Ciel. And tell the boy that Isabella says to sing a lullaby." Without even breaking eye contact, she easily twisted the man's arm, causing a rather sickening crack and pop sound while the man began to cry out in agony. " _Now_."

He did not need another reminder. Darting from the now horrified onlookers, Albert quickly made his way to the room the young boy resided in, throwing the door open before slamming it behind him. From his spot in the corner, the young boy looked up to Albert in shock followed by seemingly knowing eyes. "Is Isabella here yet?"

He gulped, nodding his head in response. "She… she said to sing a lullaby."

Ciel understood the request apparently, for he immediately closed his eyes, pressing his hands over his ears before he began to sing rather loudly. " _London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London bridge is falling down, my fair Lady."_

The moment he finished the lines, cries and shouts of pain and shock erupted from the other room, startling Albert and causing his heart to race. Gunfire joined the cacophony of voices, and Albert found himself covering his ears like the small boy next to him, trying to drown out the screams of agony.

 _"Build it up with wood and clay, wood and clay, wood and clay. Build it up with wood and clay, my fair Lady."_

And then the sound ceased. No more screaming, no more cries of pain, just an eerie silence. Yet, the little boy remained calm, his eyes still closed while covering his ears and continuing to sing.

 _"Wood and clay will wash away, wash away, wash away. Wood and clay will wash away, my fair Lady."_

Finally, the door opened slowly, and the young lady's head peeked through. Albert stiffened at the sight of blood splattered on her face, and she quickly lifted a finger to her lips to shush him. Silently entering the room, he noticed the blood stains along her dress as she hurriedly wiped the worse of it off her hands and face with what looked to be someone's shirt.

 _"Build it up with iron and steel, iron and steel, iron and steel. Build it up with iron and steel, my fair Lady."_

Snatching the overcoat he still clutched, she slipped it on over the ruined dress, buttoning it all the way to conceal the stains. Meeting his gaze, she gestured to her face with a questioning look, obviously wanting to know if she had any more blood splatters left. He quickly took the shirt turned rag from her and wiped the last smudge from her jaw line, eliciting a pleased smile from this 'Isabella'.

 _"Iron and steel will bend and bow, bend and bow, bend and bow."_ She moved to kneel in front of the boy, a protective and pleased smile resting on her lips as she observed him. _"Iron and steel will bend and bow…"_

As he reached the end of the line, she placed a hand on his cheek and softly joined in singing, _"…my fair Lady."_

Bright blue eyes flashed open, and a wide grin split Ciel's face. "Isabella!" he cried out while launching himself into her arms. "I knew you would come!"

"Of course," she happily crooned, wrapping the boy into a tight hug. "As if I could ever abandon you…" Still holding him tightly, she rose to stand, balancing him in a practiced motion upon her hip. "Now, let's get going. Your mother and father are likely worried."

"He is not your brother?" Albert found himself awkwardly asking the pair, not knowing how to react in the situation.

When their eyes fell on him, he began to regret speaking up. But, the young lady merely smirked at him, her eyes holding an amused glint. "We are cousins. His father and my mother were twins. Now," she added with an authoritative tone, turning her attention back to the little boy. "I need you to close your eyes, okay? Its messy out there, and I do not want you to see."

The boy pouted, but did as she asked, all while wrapping his arms tightly around her neck and burying his face into the crook of her neck. Satisfied, she began to stride towards the door to leave, not even pausing as she called out over her shoulder, "Come along, Albert."

Despite everything, he knew that he had no choice but to comply with her wishes. So, while muttering every prayer he could think up, he trudged after the young lady to what he assumed would be his doom.

As they stepped through the doorway, he nearly wretched at the sight.

Dead. They were all dead. Every other thug had been slaughtered, with blood coating the floor. Bodies had been tossed about in what appeared to be a feral rage. And not only that, but the bodies had also been shredded and torn to pieces, with deep claw marks gouged into their skin.

She did not seem the slightest bit disturbed by the gore, continuing forward unphased by the sight. Her heeled boots clicked along the ground as she purposefully stepped around the worst of the blood and severed body parts. Then, she carefully stroked the little boy's head as she began to sing the lullaby again, her voice simple and unremarkable, yet carrying a distinctively comforting quality.

 _"Build it up with silver and gold, silver and gold, silver and gold. Build it up with silver and gold, my fair Lady."_

Giving in to what he assumed to be his new fate, he followed after the terrifying young woman. She finally glanced back over her shoulder towards him, her voice never faltering. He swore he saw her eyes shift into predatory slits, glowing in the low light of the building.

 _"Silver and gold will be stolen away, stolen away, stolen away. Silver and gold will be stolen away, my fair Lady._

He felt it best not to question who she is.

Or rather, _what_ she is.

* * *

Though he would never admit it, Sebastian was getting frustrated.

He wanted this girl. A passing fancy he may have considered her when they first met, he now found his pursuit of her as a point of pride. Very few had met his standards, and none had resisted him. Yet she defied him, defied the usual demon hierarchy, and she began to grate on his nerves with her stubbornness avoidance of his attentions.

Now, he almost had her. He had her vulnerable, caught with her guard down, making her easy prey to his advances. Pinned beneath him, he marveled at how deceivingly fragile her slender wrists felt in his hand, and he relished in the firm grip he kept with his other hand on her hip while one leg remained wedged between hers. Her warmth pressed against him drove him wild, though he kept his emotions in check. In this moment, he wanted her, he _needed_ her... but he should have known that something would come along to shatter his plans.

And he could not even destroy the source of his ire.

Face contorted in rage, his Young Master, Ciel Phantomhive, stood stiffly in the doorway. " _What_ ," the young earl demanded, "Do you think you are doing, Sebastian?!"

Breaking his gaze away from the mortified Isabella who still lay beneath him, he looked to his master with a fake, close-eyed smile. "Now, I do believe you are not quite old enough to know the details of this, Young Master."

As Ciel's face turned bright red, Isabella seemed to finally regained her ability to think clearly. She yelped, trying to pull herself away from the demon hovering above her. Noticing her struggle in vain, Ciel snapped out of his shock, ordering "Sebastian, get off of my cousin immediately!"

The butler sighed, obviously reluctant to do as his Master ordered. Yet, he held his aesthetic as a butler in too high of esteem to disobey, even to sate himself with the subject of his carnal desires. "Yes, my Lord…"

Releasing her wrists and his death grip on her hip, he slowly pulled back from her to stand at the foot of the bed in his usual straight spine and hands behind his back way. She immediately scrambled back from him, her cheeks enflamed and eyes flashing wildly between her Shinigami eyes and demonic slits. Smirking at her, he asked, "Are your instincts flaring up, my Lady?"

A low growl rumbled from her chest as she narrowed her still changing eyes. Shock passed over Ciel's face as he asked, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, Young Master," the demon responded simply, still watching Isabella with an almost amused expression. "But her instincts seem to be clashing: her demon half is responding as it should, wanting to offer herself to me because of my power and interest…"

"But her Shinigami half is too smart for that." Sebastian and Ciel turned to face the doorway to the room, seeing Ronald stand there chewing on a large bread roll. Ignoring Sebastian's scowl, he added, "Shinigami instincts scream for her to take out the 'threat,' a.k.a. your pet demon over here."

Frowning, Ciel queried, "But she has never reacted like this before."

"He likely never caught her off guard like this before." Popping the last piece of his bread into his mouth, he continued talking while chewing. "Isabella has basically conditioned all of her demonic instincts to be virtually nonexistent. He has essentially been poking a hornets nest with a stick, and her Shinigami half is responding in a nasty way." Then, shrugging, he stated, "Well, at least that's what I can figure is happening."

Obviously irritated with the younger reaper, Sebastian drawled, "Why are you even here? Should you not be in your room?"

"I was bored," Ronald responded with a shrug. "So, I decided to come see if Isabella or the kid were awake."

Ciel looked ready to snap about the kid comment, but a tired sigh drew their attention back to his cousin. Isabella had finally begun to calm, her eyes blinking rapidly while they settled back into familiar red orbs. "Whatever that was…" she muttered, lifting her hands to rub her temples, "I do not wish to repeat it."

"You lack training," Sebastian bluntly chastised her.

With a frustrated glare, she snapped, "It's not like I had access to it. Besides, this is _your_ fault anyway.

"This would have happened eventually," he rebuked in a chastising tone. "Regardless of my interest and presence or not. You cannot simply smother your demonic powers: they are as much a part of you as your soul. The pressure would have seeped over eventually, and the results would be less than pleasant."

She groaned, allowing her shoulders to slump down. "Well that's just wonderful…" While refusing to meet his gaze, she stiffly asked, "Would the offer to train me still be on the table?..."

"But of course, my Lady."

"You have not finished your deal yet?" Ciel interjected.

With a snort, Isabella snapped, "He has not even told me how the deal works!" Then, as an afterthought, added, "Wait, how did you know about the deal?" Ciel just gave her a look as he jerked a finger at the grinning Academy graduate who had moved to stand at his side. "Of course you told him," she responded dryly.

"No need to be tense," Sebastian remarked, moving to lean down near Isabella. "The deal is quite simple really…"He reached towards her face, his gloved fingers moving as if to push her hair carefully behind her ear. "All you need is an anchor—" She tensed as his knuckles ran along her jaw, only to twist his hand away and produce a perfect white rose, without a single flaw on the delicate petals. "—and once you have an anchor…"

He handed her the rose, which she cautiously lifted from his outstretched palm. As he pulled away from her, one hand twisted in the air to produce another identical rose in his palm, while the other lifted to his mouth, where he bit down on the tip of one gloved finger, slowly and sensually pulling it off without breaking his gaze which remained locked with hers. Letting the glove drop to the floor, he moved his hand to his mouth where he sharply bit down, drawing blood.

As he allowed the blood to drip onto his rose, she realized that she was to do the same, so she mimicked his bit bite with her own hand and began to drip blood onto her own rose while he spoke. "As to the parameters of our deal, I agree to neither interfere with your work for the Shinigami, nor will I ever attempt to consume any souls that I have not contracted. Also, I offer my services to aide you whenever you need so long as my Master agrees, as well as training you to better control your demonic side."

That said, he handed her his rose, giving her a smirk as she took it and offered hers in return. He began to drip his blood onto her rose, watching her as she did the same with his while speaking of her side of the deal. "In return…" she stated hesitantly, seeming to calculate her words carefully. "I offer my help with your Master as he fulfills his duties as the Queen's Watchdog. If you keep up your agreement about consuming souls, I will not attack you and do my best to ensure that the other reapers do not disturb you as well. And… I will make attempts to be more… _agreeable_ with you, Sebastian."

Ciel felt rooted to his spot, watching the deal go on between his cousin and his butler. Part of him screamed that he should stop this, his gut telling him that this will not end well. But he remained silent next to Ronald, watching the predatory grin stretch across Sebastian's face, showing his sharply fanged teeth. "I do believe we have a deal, my lady…"

For the first time in ages, Ciel felt true regret.


	26. Her Feelings

**_Author's Note:_** **I am a** ** _horrible_** **person.**

 **But honestly, this month has been HELL. Issues with work, classes, moving six hours across state, and to make matters worse... I started plotting out a BOOK.** **A real, create-your-own-characters-and-universe BOOK.** **Which is hella complicated and drains whatever creative energy I have left after dealing with all the bull from the past month, so that's a thing.**

 **But yeah. Finally finished this. It's super short, but the next chapter is halfway done and will be normal length, if not longer than normal. This is sort of a filler chapter, but I'm super excited for the next chapter! If i don't post by next Friday though, spam my inbox.**

 **Seriously. I am forgetful. Don't let me forget.**

 **If you want, spam my Tumblr with asks too. Actually, if you ever have questions or just want to talk, hit me up there. My username is Inu-Kami, and I spam random Inuyasha and Kuroshitsuji stuff.**

 **But yeah, don't have the energy to respond to comments from the last chapter here, so I will PM the people with accounts tomorrow and anyone without accounts will get a response next chapter, promise! And next week should be the week I start editing, so I will mark each chapter with an edit date once I do that.**

 **Thanks for being so patient with me. ^^;**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Her Feelings.**

* * *

"Try to keep up, Albert!"

His staring broke at the sound of her voice. Albert had found himself entranced by the manor before him. The grandeur and size of the massive estate had him staring with his jaw hanging open, in complete awe. The poor boy from the countryside had never seen a place so magnificent, and now he found himself actually being led inside of the impressive manor.

But then reality set in as he locked his eyes with the blood red irises of the girl leading him along. A chill ran along his spine, the shade of her eyes reminding him of the scene back at the warehouse. She stood at the base of the stairs, her long black overcoat still buttoned over the blood stained dress underneath. She wore a sly smirk, finding his hesitation to be amusing.

"What is he doing, Isabella?" the little boy perched on her hip asked, his wide blue eyes blinking at Albert in confusion.

"He is just nervous, Ciel," she responded casually while giving the boy a bright smile. "Now, let's head inside." Giving him one last glance over her shoulder, she began her ascent of the stairs, all while chattering happily to the boy.

All he wanted to do was run away in that moment. His instincts were practically screaming for it. Yet, he knew in his gut that whatever happens, it would be much worse if he were to run. So, with a defeated sigh, he followed after the strange woman-child.

* * *

"My lady?"

Jolting in her seat, Isabella shot a glare at the amused butler leaning over her shoulder. "Wipe that smirk off your face, Sebastian. And for God's sake, make more noise." Leaning back into the chair, she pinched the bridge of her nose as she muttered, "I'm tempted to tie a bell on you."

With a sound of amusement, his gloved hand reached forward to tease a lock of her hair before tracing along the strands tightly braided along the side of her head. "I apologize for startling you my lady, I simply wanted to check if you needed anything…"

His fingers had reached the end of the braid only to hover over a delicate looking rose secured in her hair. The color, once a pristine white, now appeared as a red so dark that one could easily think the rose was black. Swatting his hand away, she stiffly replied without meeting his gaze. "I am fine, and the braid you made this morning does not need to be fixed."

As he finally pulled away, she found herself holding back a sigh of relief. "If you insist, my lady."

Oh, she felt like punching him. But those damned roses, the one he insisted she wear today as well as the identical one he had currently pinned to his uniform: they marked the truce between the two otherworldly beings. Neither could harm the other, and both agreed to cooperate, all for the good of her young cousin.

Unfortunately, the truce did nothing to curb the demon's fondness of making her uncomfortable.

"Sebastian!"

Isabella's attention turned to her cousin seated at her side. When she realized his intent was to explain his plan and orders to the butler, her attention drifted away towards the edge of the lake before them. Watching the trio running around and splashing in the water, she could not help but grin as she noticed Ronald sprinting towards them. "Heads up!" was the only warning he gave before he leapt up and crashed into the water, causing the three to get drenched by the giant splash.

A low chuckle escaped her as the others made cries of protest all while Ronald did not look the least bit repentant over his actions. She laughed even more upon noticing Mey Rin's reddening cheeks as she tried to unsuccessfully hide her blush from the now drenched Ronald. The Shinigami simply looked pleased with himself, and set about flirting with the flustered maid, all while Bard and Finny uncomfortably watched on.

"Isabella?..." Once again, her attention drew to her cousin, the young boy watching her with an almost apprehensive gaze, looking as if he were trying to find the right words. She vaguely noted how Sebastian no longer stood at their side, and she could only presume he had left to fulfill Ciel's orders.

Realizing he had fallen silent, she prodded, "Is something wrong?"

"No," he remarked brusquely, dropping his gaze from hers. "Er, perhaps…"

"Ciel…" Her head tilted slightly, observing the boy at her side. As of late, she mostly had seen the façade of the Earl Phantomhive, the boy pretending to be a man, who spent most of his energy trying to emulate his late father, her uncle. Now, exuding shyness and uncertainty, she could see a glimpse of the real boy, the one she missed so dearly. "What's wrong?"

After a moment's hesitation, he simply asked, "Why?" Finally lifting his visible eye back to her, she saw how lost he looked, confused from her actions the night before. "You did not have to make a deal with Sebastian. You bound yourself to a dangerous demon, and you and I both know that he will use this deal to his advantage."

Her only response was to shrug. "Perhaps he will, perhaps he won't." Glancing up at the foggy grey sky, she added, "Either way, its not really that important."

"How can you just say that?!" the boy snapped. "Do you really care so little?!"

Isabella did not even flinch at Ciel's harsh tone. Instead, a small quirk of the lips as her eyes glinted in the sunlight. "Care so little? Well, you could say that about me in a lot of situations. Death, gore, murder: none of it moves me to 'care' during normal circumstances." Chuckling, her fingers reached up to trace along the petals of the rose in her hair. "No, my dear little cousin. Rather, when it comes to _you_ little Earl…"

A flicker of magenta passed across her irises.

"I believe the issue is that I care entirely too much."

* * *

She is not sure when she became like this.

Staring at the screaming, pleading man before her, she knew that she should be feeling something. Any other person would feel pity and worry for Barrymore, despite being the disgusting worm of a man that he is. Any _normal_ person would feel fear and terror over the beast howling in the distance, mixed with the cries of the soon to be dead man before her.

Yet, she felt none of this. She simply remained calm and collected, leaning ever so casually against the far wall of the dark and decaying prison cellar. She held no pity for such a fowl man who just a few hours earlier attempted to kill her and her cousin by feeding them to those filthy mutts. She held no remorse in the knowledge that she would soon play the role of passive observer to his brutal murder.

In fact, all she could feel was _excitement_.

The howls drew closer, and yet again, he turned his pleading eyes to her, stretching pudgy, sweat drenched arm through the cell bars. "Please! Please help me! _Have mercy!_ "

She had not bothered to hide herself from him. Passive observer she may be, but this death would have no witnesses. The only human present would be Barrymore himself.

And he would not be around long to tell the tale.

Finally moving from the wall, she spoke for the first time since she had entered this room. With eyes slowly beginning to glow a brilliant green color, she reached to her hip as she addressed him with clinical, yet slightly amused words. "I am _terribly_ sorry … but I am afraid that helping you is not in my job description."

And at that point, she finally withdrew her scythe, allowing the harvesting tool to expand before his eyes. And his eyes. She watched with a gleeful grin as his eyes deflated, the last small speck of hope faded as realization dawned on him as to what she truly was.

"Rest in peace, Lord Barrymore."

And with one last feral growl, the walls came crashing in, and the fun truly began.


	27. Her File

**_Author's Note:_ I am so excited to finally post this chapter! Its basically means Im getting close to the end of this arc. Finally.**

 **Anyway, not much else to say, cause I need to respond to all those reviews I missed so that's gonna take up a lot of space. Im not responding to the ones that were about me making changes to the story and my account cause I messaged most of y'all personally. Here I go...**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden:**

 **Ch. 25- Yeah, my poor Izzy. Sebby is going to cause her a LOT of chaos...**

 **ch. 26- YES. FINALLY. I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT. I am so forgetful and distracted, time got away from me. ^^;**

 **ScribbleYellow:**

 **Ch. 24- I know, the poor kid. I can't help but put him in all these awkward situations. XD**

 **Ch. 25- AWWW. THANK YOU. That's so sweet of you!**

 **S-Lioness: Maybe... but things are mostly just going to get worse as time progresses... I am horrible to poor Izzy.**

 **Demonic Girl111: I think you are going to find out soon that cliff hangers are kind of my thing. XD**

 **ZabuzasGirl: Thank you!**

 **Kat Demon: Thanks! I honestly did not intend to have this much sexual tension when I originally started this story... it just kind of happened. ^^;**

 **Lhasa: THANK YOU KIND PERSON. And you are always at school when you read this, I love it. XD**

 **Scarecrow's Rag Doll: Thank you!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 27: Her File.**

* * *

"Ciel!" Albert watched as beautiful woman, with golden colored hair and watery blue eyes rushed forward, enveloping both Isabella and the small boy she still carried in a tight hug. Pulling back and grasping the young boy's face between her hands, she asked, "Are you alright?! Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine!" Little Ciel happily replied. "Isabella came and got me!" Then, sparing a glance in his direction, he added cheerfully, "Albert took good care of me too!"

"Did he now?"

Descending down the stairs with a calm smile on his features, the Lord of the manor gave the group a calm smile as he approached. Obviously, this man was Ciel's father, the features between the two similar and their hair the same midnight blue shade. But what struck Albert more was how similar he looked to Isabella. She had mentioned that her mother had been the Lord's twin, but were it not for the age difference, he might have mistook these two for twins.

"Father!" the little boy happily cried out. Isabella quickly deposited Ciel on the ground, where he immediately darted off to wrap himself around the Lord Phantomhive's leg.

Kneeling next to his son, the Lord appraised the boy with relieved eyes. "Did you behave for Isabella?"

Nodding his head, Ciel proudly declared, "Yep! I followed every instruction and sang a lullaby just like she taught me to."

Understanding of the purpose of the 'lullaby' seemed to flash across the father's eyes as he glanced up at his niece. "Are you alright?"

"Of course," Isabella declared with a feral grin. "I can handle a few low level gangsters." Then glancing down at her buttoned up overcoat, she muttered, "Nina, however, might not be too pleased at the state of my attire…"

The Lord simply sighed. "A ruined dress is of no matter. Go change and meet me in the parlor." Locking eyes with Albert, who immediately tensed under the nobleman's gaze, he added, "Then you can explain the purpose of bringing this young man here."

Albert felt as if he might faint.

* * *

The sight before them was gruesome.

The bloodied corpse propped against the wall, his arm missing and face contorted into a permanent contortion of true terror. Ciel had seen much similar things over the years, and though he had learned to mask his face, his stomach still churned at the gore. But as the Lord Phantomhive, he could not allow himself to falter, to show weakness.

Besides, Sebastian would likely tease him for it.

Across the crowd of terrified villagers, Ciel locked eyes with Isabella. Her face remained impassive, apathetic to the dead man on the ground. Her scythe hung loosely at her side, and her eyes slowly faded from the green he had begun to associate with the Shinigami to their familiar blood red iris. Her shoulders tensed suddenly, and Ciel narrowed his eyes, wondering what had bothered her.

"Young Master?"

His head whipped around, noting the worried look on Mey Rin's face. "Are you quite alright, sir?"

"I am fine." He looked back to where his cousin had stood, but all he saw was the faint outline of her back as she disappeared out into the fog, her trench billowing behind her as she faded from view.

"It is not me you should be concerned for."

* * *

She should not be here.

Isabella knew this. All of her instincts told her to leave, to not be here alone. She and Ronald should have left after claiming Lord Barrymore's soul. She should be sleeping or back with her cousin, chatting peacefully while teasing the demon on occasion. Yet, here she casually strolled in her reaper uniform, trailing after the one who had drawn her curiosity.

The fog enveloped the open space, making visibility difficult even for her demon eyes. An air of foreboding hung around her, and her aura flared again, her demonic instincts forcing her to halt. Bristling like an angry cat, she began to make a low yowling sound in the back of her throat and was unable to suppress her lengthening nails as they transformed into deadly claws.

Then, out of the fog slowly strolled the source of her ire. Angela still wore her maid outfit, not a strand of her silver hair out of place, a sharp contrast to Isabella's messy blue-black tresses, which looked windblown spare the tight braid Sebastian had painfully twisted against the side of her scalp before slipping her rose into place.

Despite Angela's perfect appearance, the look of utter disgust she aimed at Isabella ruined the effect. An ugly scowl twisted upon her face, her nose tilted upwards as she openly judged the hybrid before her. "So filthy…so unclean…"

Isabella managed to calm her instincts enough to register the maid's words. Her head slowly tilted to the side, eyes narrowing. "What are you?"

Despite her face being scrunched up in blatant disgust, an amused smirk grew on the maid's face. "That curiosity of yours will be the death you one day."

Mirroring her smirk, only more softly and with a light, lilting laugh, she cooed back in a sing-song tone. "Curiosity killed the cat…" Her hand tightened its grasp her scythe without breaking eye contact, lifting and then twirling the weapon above her head to expand the hilt and wickedly sharp blades before resting it casually on a shoulder. "But satisfaction brought it back~"

"Well then…" Angela rebuffed with a scowl. "Allow me to put such a foul abomination out of its misery!"

With that, an aura pulsed like none that Isabella had ever encountered before. She had felt faint traces of angelic power before, remnants left upon ancient relics within the Shinigami library, but this felt… twisted and dark and so tainted that her demonic blood began to sing.

Grinning ferally as she dropped into a crouch, one hand balanced on the ground in front of her while the other stretched her scythe out behind, Isabella gleefully purred, her eyes flashing to demonic slits, "And so, the cat chased the canary…"

And then she lunged.

* * *

"Sir!" the voice called out as the office door slammed open.

Piles of paperwork slipped off his desk, pages scattering about wildly. Sighing in irritation, William carefully adjusted his glasses while speaking to the intruder. "This had better be important."

The desk worker huffed, struggling to catch his breath as he hunched over, one hand balanced on a knee while the other held out a folder. "It's about a field agent. We just got a situation change update. Backup needing urgently."

William's brows scrunched as he rose from the desk. "What could possibly have happened…" He snatched the file and flipped it open, quickly scanning the contents before a horrifying feeling settled in his gut. "Isabella…"

In a flash he had teleported from the room, paperwork swirling around the file that had been dropped to the ground. On the sheet, a photo of Isabella had been pinned to the top corner, followed by her basic information and sheets detailing any important notes from past cases, such as information about her cousin and his demon contract. All the usual: William knew these things and so much more about his dear friend.

But the sheet that had been attached to the back of the file, however, had been the source of William's sudden concern.

 **URGENT ADDITION TO THE FILE OF:** ISABELLA LANCASTOR-PHANTOMHIVE.

 **POSITION:** REAPER SPECIALIST OF THE ENGLISH SHINIGAMI BRANCH.

 **URGENT NOTICE** : HIGH SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY NOTED IN CURRENT DEPLOYMENT AREA.

 **CAUSE FOR CONCERN:** CHANGE IN STATUS OF EMPLOYEE'S RECORDS. POSSIBLE DEATH IMMINENT.

 **RESPONSE:** IMMEDIATE BACKUP REQUIRED.


	28. Her Cleansing, Part I

**_Author's Note:_ I HAVE RETURNED FROM THE WAR.**

 **AND BY WAR, I MEAN PHYSICS II.**

 **Ugh, I'm an Avian Biology major, why in the hell do I need to know how particles reflect in mirrors and how laser pointers work. COLLEGE, WHY.**

 **Anyway, this was supposed to be posted last week, but I had so much happen (got horribly can't-get-out-of-bed-for-days sick, dealt with several assholes, went out of town for a week AND FORGOT MY LAPTOP, came home and my puppy started throwing up blood, then started classes two days later). Basically, life sucks and my muse suffers.**

 **Also, I am having trouble writing William for the first time. I'm making him a bit more emotional right now and I keep tweaking his parts. So, I cut this chapter into two parts and will be adding another flashback in front of the next part. Part two is mostly written but its in my journal for this story so I need to translate it to my laptop. Give me like three days and I swear it will be up as an apology for taking so long to** **update.**

 **Okay so, enough rambling about my boring life and ONTO THE STORY.**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Honestly, Izzy needs to stop dropping herself into these situations.**

 **MidnightSalem: I NEED TO STOP WITH THE CLIFFHANGERS.**

 **I HAVE A PROBLEM.**

 **But yeah, thank you! XD**

 **Arabella: Sorry chica, but I'm currently a science major on the pre-veterinary track who is trying to balance classes and ADHD which my most recent doctor looked at my test results and responded "How do you function?" Really, Im lucky that I have kept my focus on this story for this long. I lose inspiration quite easily for most of my other stories, or a new plot bunny steals my writing focus. Add that I'm trying to write a novel on the side, and yeah, things are a bit overwhelming right now.**

 **MzAkumaGore: Oh, you have no idea. And I'm just cackling evilly to myself as I plan out the next few chapters. I'm finally getting into some of my non-episode based chapters, so chaos shall ensue! :)**

 **LOPE: Thank you! And yes, she does~**

 **LeEvilMewMew: ...no.**

 **Jk, I plan to see this story through to end. And here is the next bit! Enjoy~**

 **Phantom. : Once again, YOU ARE AMAZING.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 28: Her Cleansing.**

* * *

"Care for a drink?"

Breaking from his thoughts, Albert lifted his gaze to the man sitting before him. Regally lounging in the chair as they sat in the low light of the recently stoked fireplace, the Earl Vincent Phantomhive looked more at ease than anyone Albert had ever encountered. It was impossible to imagine that just less than an hour prior, this man's son had been missing, kidnapped by ruthless thugs. The serenity on his face, the casual smirk as he watched Albert in amusement, it was incomprehensible to one who had been raised as a simple farm boy.

But it made sense. One did not become the Queen's Watchdog if they panicked easily. No, his face spoke of an intelligence beyond comprehension, and panic would always be pushed aside by reason and logic.

Besides, who would panic with someone like Isabella in your arsenal?

"Sorry for the wait." Speak of the devil… or the devil's daughter. "The blood took longer than I thought to wash off."

Without even looking towards Isabella as her feet softly padded across the floor, Albert found himself sinking farther in his chair. The Earl Phantomhive turned his amused smirk to Isabella as she finally came into view beside Lord's chair. "And you likely paid Ciel another visit, I assume?"

She sighed, dropping to sit on the arm of her uncle's chair, her fingers absently running through her long, wet locks of hair, which glistened in the firelight, separating and twisting it into a loose braid. Her white nightgown clung to her subtle curves, her bare feet peeking out from under the hem. "He had already fallen asleep when I went to check. But I cannot fault him: he had a trying day."

"I believe we all have," the Lord replied as he once again settled his gaze upon Albert. "Now, I believe you had a good reason for bringing your guest?"

"Information," she quipped. "He did not seem happy working with those brutes anyway, so I believe he will not withhold anything important."

The Lord raised a brow as his eyes bored into Albert, appearing to be almost dissecting the terrified man's soul. "And the true reason?" He finally broke his gaze at Albert to observe his niece. "Surely you have more of a reason rather than information. He is merely a lower level thug: what information could he have of importance to us?"

A small scowl graced her face, and the otherworldly young woman let out a low sound, almost like a growl or snarl or something in between. "I have my reasons."

"You wish to hire him, don't you?" Isabella rose and strode away from the two men, stopping to stare into the flickering flames of the fireplace. "Tell me, my dear, what leads you to trust him? Why did you spare him? I know your ways; I know you slaughtered the rest of the men. You would never give an ounce of mercy towards someone who would so much as _look_ at Ciel wrong. So, tell me: _Why him?_ "

She glanced back over her shoulder, locking her gaze with Albert. The man wanted to tremble under her gaze, to run away from the woman with demon eyes and a merciless soul. But in that moment, despite the blood red of her irises, she no longer looked like a terrifying demon. No, he saw a young girl, one who looked so vulnerable as she sought the proper words to give her uncle.

"He was kind to Ciel. He trusted me. So, I trust him."

Silence filled the void, and she finally broke her gaze from Albert, looking once more into the flames of the dying fire. Earl Phantomhive appeared to contemplate her words for but a moment, before a small smile slipped on his lips. "Very well. You were in need of an assistant anyway." Rising to stand, the Lord walked over to his guest and extended his hand. "Welcome to the Phantomhive household."

Head still spinning, Albert took the Lord's hand while glancing towards Isabella. "I think I'll have that drink now, sir."

* * *

Sebastian found himself aimlessly wandering the halls later that evening, unable to feel at ease. He found the air around the Barrymore mansion heavy and laced with repulsive energy. Grimacing, the demon simply reminded himself that he would not have to put up with the tainted angel for much longer. Though far from pure and obviously masked to a degree, the small amount of angelic energy was still enough to set his nerves on edge.

He had even begun to notice a change in the half-breed: she likely had never encountered energy such as this, so the dose would be just enough to drive her instincts wild and appeal to her curious nature. Musing on this thought, he realized he might need to keep a closer eye on her to prevent her curiosity from causing any unwanted… _mischief._

Not that he would mind keeping close to her. While progress was slower than he had hoped, he knew he had gained ground with her. Isabella could no longer deny her attraction to him, and it would only be a matter of time before he chipped away at her pointless walls that she had hastily and needlessly crafted against him. His Young Master might think himself the master at chess, but should the need arise, Sebastian was more than capable of playing his own games.

She had already lost the moment he decided that he wanted her.

His thoughts switched tracks when he sensed a familiar energy at the entrance to the building. Within seconds, he found himself resting a hand on his chin while standing near the uninvited guest, contemplating how to respond to the situation. "Well, this was certainly unexpected…"

William snapped his gaze towards Sebastian, and the demon found himself momentarily shocked at the look of utter panic and fury on the normally stoic Reaper. "Where is she?!" He shouted, storming towards Sebastian. "What have you done to her, you foul beast—"

"I assume you speak about Lady Isabella," the demon interrupted, an unamused scowl crossing his face from having to deal civilly with Isabella's coworker. It would do no good to simply toss the man out. Sebastian could not risk breaking his deal with her this early in the game. So, tamping down on his irritation, he decided to play nice. "But I can assure you, I have caused her no harm."

"Then why did I just get an update on her file?" William snapped back. "She is in danger, requiring immediate assistance from an unknown supernatural force."

Understanding hit Sebastian like a sledgehammer. "She went to see Angela."

"Who?"

"The fallen angel who is pretending to be a maid here. Isabella's curiosity must have gotten the better of her…"

Panic crossed William's face. "We need to find her. _Now_."

"Why should I involve myself?" Sebastian drawled, smirking in amusement over the William's distress. In all honesty, he would go after her no matter what the Reaper said. He would not allow his prize to be damaged. But what William said next proved to Sebastian how serious the situation truly was.

"Because I do not believe your _Master_ would be too pleased if you let his cousin die."

* * *

 ** _IMPORTANT A/N:_ Hello everyone! **

**What's this? An extra author's note at the bottom of the chapter? What could this possibly mean?**

 **Basically, I have been mulling this over for a while, and I have finally worn myself down: I'm looking for a beta.**

 **Not a traditional beta, however, so be warned. I do not feel as if I need someone to read my chapters before I post them: I'm too spastic on update dates for that. No, I was just wondering if someone could possibly edit my old chapters for me. I had plans too, but I have my other drabble story that is in desperate need of editing so that I can continue it, so all of my editing patience will be focused on that for the next few months.**

 **I have no strict deadline for editing the chapters, just maybe one a week if possible? I can either email you a copy or send via DocX if that works for you. I'm fine either way.**

 **Also, in the future, I might need to bounce a chapter off of you before posting. Several times I have had a chapter done and ready but I don't post because I fear a character might not be properly in character or if something seems off. I end up deleting chapters so often and rewriting them only for them to be near identical to the original. So, basically your job would be to hit me over the head if I'm just overanalyzing things or if there is an actual flaw.**

 **But yeah. If you are interested, please PM me or mention in the comments! I would prefer if you had an account here or if you had a Skype you can message on.**

 **Thanks for your time!**


	29. Her Cleansing, Part II

***WARNING* This chapter is a bit more intense than others as far as descriptions go. So, M rating is emphasized in my opinion for borderline gore mentions.**

 ** _Author's Notes:_ HEY LOOK, TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE WEEK. AND THIS ONE IS LONG. ISH.**

 **Side note, I made a major change in my story. Like, MAJOR change that's being implemented now. I blame the comments for sparking this particular plot bunny. Its opening the chapter and will be better developed later on. But I HAVE A PLAN. ISH.**

 **Also, still looking for a beta if anyone is interested! Details at the bottom of chapter 28.**

 **BookaholicGurl78: Thanks! And I'm happy that this story makes you so excited! :D**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Sebastian just really knows how to handle a serious moment, doesn't he?**

 **MzAkumaGore: Such is the woe of the writer. Having to decide whether or not your character has suffered enough. v_v**

 **And I'm currently a fourth year, but I'm taking a slow year to focus on hard sciences so I'm gonna have an extra year tacked on to this. My goal is vet school, once I get my degree (So. Much. College.) And thank you so much! But she is doing a lot better. She is currently asleep on my foot. XD**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: Her Cleansing, Part II.**

* * *

Isabella had a secret.

With silent glances and unspoken thoughts, she diligently worked to excel at her job. Each success and perfect execution garnered her quiet praise, subtle acknowledgement, the small smile from her teacher. And eagerly, she drank all that he gave her, savoring every last drop till she was left with nothing but the craving for more.

The young Reaper soon soared up the ranks, earning the respect of many, but only caring about the respect from _him_. Teacher turned to comrade, to friend, to hidden obsession. As they grew closer, she grew bolder, more daring, finally acknowledging the natural womanly charm she spent so long ignoring.

So one day, with a harmless tease, a test of carefully practiced and devised flirtation, she moved.

And he responded.

"You are dear to me, but you are practically my sister."

She did not betray herself. Her face remained unphased, wearing a happy laugh while declaring him to be practically her brother. He did not know the truth, nor did he suspect the painful throbbing of her still heart, though it had died years prior. She betrayed none of this as relief crossed his face.

But deep within her, a small part of her simply… _snapped_.

And so, from this snap grew a new goal, and a routine was born. She would tease him, push him, till he grew flustered and embarrassed from her advances, guiding them both closer and closer to the cliff's edge of where neither could return once the plunge had been taken. Then, once the edge had been reached, she would boldly declare them siblings, pulling back from the edge and easing his mind while slicing yet again into her suffering heart.

Her heart bore so many scars, so many wounds that had yet remained open. Nothing was left except for a rotten and festering lump of flesh, one which she continued to poke and prod at, refusing to allow her wounds to heal. The empty throbbing became a necessary lifeblood to her maddening soul.

And though she sought relief in the arms of another, she never allowed her heart to stray. She never allowed her torment to lessen. The pain fueled her madness, and she reveled in it.

And she never told him the truth, the truth of how he unknowingly held her heart in his hands. Of how she tortured herself, twisting and pulling, tearing and ripping upon her much abused heartstrings, Of how addicted she had grown to this dull pain of her dead heart, feeling like a lame limb that should have been cut off long ago. She never told him. Her teacher, her comrade, her friend.

Her _brother_.

Isabella had a secret.

One that she would carry beyond the grave.

* * *

Isabella would be the death of him.

Of this, William was certain. Chaos followed in her wake, and she reveled in the destruction her curiosity wrought. He had known of this since early on their partnership, since the time she coerced him to see her family, back when he was simply the reluctant teacher.

Had someone told him that by the end of her training she would have him wrapped around her little finger, he would have scoffed at the notion. His hatred of demons was deep, and when he had originally heard of her, he had briefly contemplated ending her. However, after reassessing the situation, he decided to seek out proof that his hate justified.

Proof would have resulted in less paperwork over her death.

Now, here he was, his nerves a complete and utter wreck as he raced to the aide of the young half-demon he now called his sister.

An _angel_. Of all the things to stick her nose in, she had to choose an angel. And not only an angel, but one of the fallen, if the demon's description was correct. Based on the unusual seriousness of said demon, William assumed the beast was likely speaking the truth. As the unlikely pair approached the source of the otherworldly energy, William found himself faced with the reality that the demon's words were true.

Locked in battle with the seemingly crazed angel wielding a glowing blade, Isabella wielded her scythe with practiced precision and deadly grace. Landing in a crouch, she could only momentarily acknowledge with a flickering glance of her eyes at their arrival on the edge of the clearing. Brightly glowing magenta eyes could easily be seen at the distance, her fingers transformed into claws as her face remained twisted in a feral snarl.

As she lunged at the angel who in turn swooped towards the half-demon, William noticed the shallow but profusely bleeding slices along Isabella's arms and calves. Her usual trench had long since been abandoned on the side of the field, and her pants were beginning to tatter and fray from the damage mixed with sweat and blood. The only item which remained pristine was a peculiar looking rose tucked into a braid against the side of her scalp, black as night though shining with red tones and contrasting to the blue tones of her hair.

William acknowledged all this within a few moments notice, and began to take a step into the battle.

"You could die."

Barely hesitating in his step, William glance over his shoulder towards the demon. His wine colored eyes flashed a magenta all too similar to Isabella's as he turned his eyes back towards William. "You most likely will die."

William continued forward. "Then I die helping my sister."

And leapt into the fray without even waiting for a response.

* * *

Sebastian had to give the Reapers credit. They could fight. And they could fight _well_.

But he had never expected this outcome.

With measured steps and obvious trust within each other, the two made quite the pair on the battlefield. Each knew where the other was at all times, and they knew how to play off one another to their own advantage. When one blocked a blow, the other attacked. When one paused, the other guarded. When one needed the push, the other pushed _harder_.

And Sebastian found himself believing they could win. Now, if he had assisted earlier on, the win would have been more certain. Angela likely would already be dead on the ground. The fight and angelic aura dragging up Isabella's more demonic side perhaps might have even aided in making her more receptive to Sebastian, acknowledging his power as attractive rather than a threat.

But with Mr. Spears present, Sebastian found himself wanting to simply watch this through to the end. Should her life come at risk, he would intervene. His Young Master would be angered should his cousin fall to serious harm, and Sebastian could not quite bed her if she permanently left this plane of existence. Besides, the deal was still in play, evident with the rose still clinging to messy hair, which wildly fanned around her shoulders.

Angela displayed her anger and frustration openly across her face, before a wicked, devious smile settled on her lips. Sebastian furrowed his brows just as the angel kicked up her attack. Slamming the hilt of her angel blade into Isabella's stomach, the half-breed went skidding back a few paces, stunned. Angela took this moment to propel herself up into the air with her wings before diving back down at near impossible speeds.

Her blade stretched before her as she reached her target, and William barely had the time to register the attack before the angel was upon him and plunging the sword into her victim…

" _William!_ "

Sebastian had always known Isabella to be foolish, but he had never expected her weak heart to drive her this far.

The squelch of the blade sinking done through the half-breed's collarbone into her torso, mixed with the occasional snap of bone and tendons, echoed through the otherwise silent field. William, sprawled on the ground a few feet away having been shoved out of the way of the attack just moments prior, watched in horror as Isabella became the new sheath to the angel's blade. Her face twisted in agony, silently screaming as blood seeped out of the deep wound and down her pale skin.

For a moment, Sebastian found himself frozen in shock. Of all the outcomes, he had not expected this. Her selfless deed contradicted anything a normal demon would do: but then again, Isabella had never been normal.

And he soon found himself entranced by the way the blood trailed down the hollow of her throat, tracing a path around the swell of her breast to lead into her corset…

The sickening sound of the blade being withdrawn from its flesh sheath brought everything back into motion. Sebastian took off towards the group, lunging at the angel while William cried out in anguish to his fallen comrade. Angela simply swooped up out of reach, cackling maniacally as she soared higher above her wounded prey.

"Her cleansing has been completed! Such a vile and sinful creature, tortured by her own madness: such an honor for her to become my blade's sheath!" Looking down upon them with a wild look to her eyes, she lifted the bloodied blade again and declared, "Soon, all your bloods shall be mixed as you become more sheaths to my blade!"

William merely cradled his partner, muttering pointless scoldings and useless assurances to the quickly fading half-breed. She coughed in his arms, her steadily pouring blood staining her partner's suit as she struggled to keep her eyes on his face, attempting to reach up to his cheek but her arm too weak to reach up to close the distance. Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Sebastian spoke to the Shinigami while keeping his eyes locked upon Angela.

"Take her to get help," he ordered. "I will handle this vulture."

Angela shrieked in rage, swooping down towards the trio. In a split second decision, the demon snatched up Isabella's discarded scythe beside its fallen master. With a well-aimed swing, he deflected the angel's attack while slicing through her wing with one of the blades, leaving behind her scream and splattered blood as she darted back up high, struggling to stay in the air.

Finally looking back to the two Shinigami, one coughing up blood and the other watching him in disbelief. Sebastian viciously snapped, "I would rather not have to explain to my Young Master why his cousin is _dead on my watch_. Now, _go_!"

Schooling his face back into his usual impassive stare, William stiffly replied, "Isabella will need that scythe back."

"But of course." With that said, William finished carefully gathering up Isabella in his arms and vanished, while Sebastian turned back to the matter at hand. He needed to work quickly.

Ciel would need waking soon.

* * *

 **Yes, I am evil, MORE CLIFFHANGERS. I AM JUST EMBRACING MY CONSTANT NEED FOR CLIFFHANGERS.**

 **Anyway, quick poll of the masses! I kind of want to follow the manga from this point on. So, question to answer in comments:**

 **Should I kill off Angela? I have no plans for her and Ash yet, but idk whether to keep them or not.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	30. Her Status

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ **So, my mother is a wonderful woman who bought me a brand new charger, and I now have a better appreciation of expensive computer equipment.**

 **That being said, finally finished up this chapter! Lots of scene jumps and such, but its a bit necessary for this point of the story. I am getting into a part that is my plot line rather than the official plot line, but I do intend to follow the manga from now on.**

 **Oh, and I finally got a few offers for betas! Bookaholicgurl78 is going to edit earlier chapters for this story, and I have a possible one for Twist, plus I found someone to edit my new posts. I don't want to overwhelm someone with a bunch of stuff, so I thought splitting it up would be best. Edits for the stories will be posted eventually, but I would like to post several revisions at once, so I am waiting. Plus, ch. 2 for this story needs to be gutted since I changed parts of the story background since then. I will keep y'all posted!**

 **Also: This site sucks. Like seriously. My image manager has been broken for nearly a year now, and no matter how many time I contact the service on this site, no one will respond. Its ridiculous. I want to change my story cover photo, or at the very least my profile pic, and I can't even upload a damn picture. Wtf.**

 **Lastly: Y'all really hate Angela. Two burn in hells, several 'kill the bitch', and an overall unanimous vote to either kill her or if I keep her, torture her later. Glad we are all in agreement on this. XD**

 _ **Review responses at the bottom because holy shit, 19 reviews since the last chapter. O_O;**_

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

* * *

 **Beta: Aservis Roturier (thank you so much again!)**

* * *

 **Chapter 30: Her Status.**

* * *

"Do you believe in Heaven?"

Albert lifted his head, blinking almost owlishly at the young woman a few feet behind him. Her body was angled towards him, but her eyes remained locked off to the side, her head slowly tilting as she stared at one of the dead bodies lying in a crumpled heap on the tile floor.

"I guess I do," he responded off handedly, returning to his task of rummaging through the desk drawers of the Lord who stepped out of line just a bit too far for the Queen's Watchdog.

"And angels?"

His motions stilled. "…yes." Turning around in the chair, he watched her stop next to the corpse, only to crouch and tilt her head to the other side.

"So, I can assume you believe in Hell?"

"You can't have one without the other…"

The smallest of smiles graced her face as he moved to stand next to her. "Yes, that is true." Her hand shot forward, thrusting into the chest of what Albert had assumed to be just another corpse, but the man shot up, his scream muffled by the blood filling his lungs. "Just as you cannot have angels without demons."

He often found himself forgetting. Over a year in the service of the Phantomhives, aiding Isabella in her 'work', had left him rather numb to the violence and the gore and the truth of the fucked up situation he had wandered into all those months ago. These moments were the ones that truly revealed Isabella for what she was.

Having properly finished off the last of the guards, she gracefully rose to stand as she yanked her arm back out of the now official corpse. Shaking the excess blood off as she spoke, she asked, "Did you finish searching for those documents?"

"Yes, of course…" Shaking his head and trying to numb himself to the situation yet again, he hurried back to the desk to scoop up the paperwork. "I only found one set of copies, so this should be it."

"Very good." Striding towards the exit, her blood-spattered skirts swishing to and fro as she purposefully stepped over the bodies, she added, "Let's return to the manor. We are done here."

"Of course, my Lady," he replied formally with a bow before hurrying after her.

As they reached the front entrance of the establishment, he heard her audibly sigh while he fetched her cloak from the coat stand. "I thought I told you to simply call me Isabella outside of formal situations." Albert simply gave her a look, causing her to sigh yet again while he helped her slip on the cloak over her ruined dress.

Their missions had become routine. Albert had become a bit of an early warning system in the Underworld. Should someone start to step out of line, it was his appearance which reminded them of the repercussions of their actions. This was usually enough, but occasionally, he would be required to return…and more often than not, Isabella would be trailing after him, leaving her usual calling card of destruction and death behind her.

"You're not a demon, you know," he quietly remarked while walking at her side. "You're far from normal, but certainly not truly a demon as you think you are."

He spoke with complete sincerity, but Isabella could not help but bark out a dry laugh. "Oh? And what makes you think that?"

"I doubt demons can love."

She stopped dead in her tracks, shoulders stiffening as Albert halted a few feet in front of her to gaze behind at her frozen form. Wheels could almost be seen turning behind her eyes, processing the words as if they were a foreign language to her.

With more force than needed, she snapped, "I love no one."

"You love Ciel."

"That's different!" Yanking her fingers through her hair, she began to pace back and forth like a caged tigress. "Ciel is _mine_. I will not let anyone damage what is mine."

It was Albert's turn to let out a dry laugh at the absurdity of her declaration. "You love that boy as if he were your brother. No demon would care for him as you do. You are capable of love, despite your protests against it."

Finally halting her pacing, she restarted her path off the premises, shoving past Albert and moving at a quick pace. Her words were biting and sharp, and she never bothered to stop and look at him as she strode away.

"True love is the willingness to end your life in place of another. The day that happens is the day I believe you, Albert."

* * *

"Where is Senior Isabella?!"

William's head snapped up, finally breaking from the daze he had been sitting in for the past few hours. Glancing down the hall, he noted the familiar graduate, Ronald, he believed was the name. The young Reaper was frantically demanding answers from the medical staff. Finally noticing William at the end of the hall, he did not even bother explaining himself as he dashed off towards the Dispatch Manager.

"What happened?!" he cried out as he skidded to a stop. "First thing this morning, the kid's demon says you and Isabella left for an emergency last night, and as soon as I got to your offices, Senior Sutcliffe tells me that Isabella is in critical condition?" Blinking rapidly, he looked the older Reaper up and down before shouting, "Shit, why are you covered in blood?!"

A tired groan escaped his lips as he pushed his glasses off his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had nearly forgotten about the ruined suit he wore, the blood already caked and cracking on the fabric.

"Everything happened so fast…" William muttered. "First the amendment to her file, then the fight…"

Both worried and angry, Ronald demanded, "Was it the demon? Did he do this?"

"No." Locking his gaze with Ronald, he added, "Shockingly enough, the demon gave us cover to escape. Not that he lifted a finger to help _before_ Isabella was…" His shoulders slumped, dropping his eyes to the floor. "This is all my fault."

"How could it be your fault? _What happened_?"

Silence for a minute, and then in the softest voice, William spoke. "She took a direct hit from an angel's blade. The damn fallen angel used her like a sheath and _enjoyed_ it. Isabella is in surgery… but she is _dying_. And it is all my fault because she took the hit for _me_. Isabella is dying, and there is nothing I can do."

Ronald's words were shaky and hesitant. "You… It can't possibly be that bad, right? She's part demon… she's strong. She'll pull through, _right_?"

"They called in Soul Stitchers."

With that, Ronald slumped down against the wall to slide to the floor, and both Reapers sat and stared at nothing in particular while they waited for news of their fallen comrade.

* * *

Ciel was beyond annoyed.

In fact, he was borderline furious.

In his opinion, he felt that he had been rather forgiving and understanding of the situation. Isabella had simply been pulled away on an emergency call, according to Sebastian. Understandable, given her line of work. Then, over a week went by assuring progress on construction of the Queen's spa in Houndsworth, yet no sign of his wayward cousin. Again, understandable. He would not have wanted to waste her vacation time in this Hell-hole of a town. But then, nearly another week had gone by since his return, yet still no sign of Isabella.

His patience had begun to wear thin.

"Unless there is anything else, I should be off."

Broken from his thoughts, Ciel looked up to the man seated across from him. Albert watched the boy with a kind smile, something that seemed out of place on a man in his line of work. Pretending as if he had not been lost in thought, Ciel waved his hand, gesturing to him to leave.

Rising with a bow, Albert made his way out of the room. But just before stepping out, Ciel called out to him. "You worked closely with Isabella, did you not?"

Freezing in place, Albert quickly turned around. Genuine surprise melted into an almost understanding look in the man's eyes as he watched the young boy. "You could say that." With a slight laugh, he added, "You could honestly say that I was as close as that girl had to a personal butler."

"What did you think about her?" Ciel queried. "She cared for me, but I always felt as if she were hiding part of herself from me."

The man sighed, scrubbing his hands across his face as he fought for the right words. "She was… intense. Otherworldly, even. But if I had to explain her, I would say she was like an unfinished mosaic."

"How so?"

"She was broken as a child." His words were cautious, watching the boy to assure that nothing said would be taken negatively. "Hell, she might even have been born broken. Her psyche just never seemed to fit together right. So, she just decided to rebuild herself as she saw fit. Of course, that meant she had to break a few more pieces of herself along the way to assure everything fit the way she wanted." Quietly, he finished by saying, "She never finished building herself, but I'm sure the result would have been magnificent."

Having nothing else to add, Ciel decided to end the conversation. "Sebastian should have the carriage ready by now."

Taking the cue to leave, Albert gave a slight nod with a sad smile, turning back towards the door and leaving without another word.

Allowing himself a frustrated sigh, Ciel slumped down into his chair. Pushing back from his desk and turning his chair around a few moments later, he watched out the window till Albert made his way outside. The demon butler held the carriage door open for the man to settle inside, and once Sebastian seated himself on the driver's bench, the pair set off. But even as the carriage disappeared from sight, Ciel continued to sit and stare out the window, brooding and wondering where his cousin was.

"Excuse me, but I am on a bit of a tight schedule."

Spinning his chair around, the Young Earl had begun to reach for his gun hidden under his desk, only to realize exactly who the intruder was. "Mr. Spears," Ciel commented, his voice tinged with surprise and irritation. "Normally people _knock_ when entering a room."

"Like I said before, tight schedule." Adjusting his glasses, he glanced around the room. "I had assumed your demon would have appeared by now."

Relaxing slightly, Ciel quipped, "He is off running an… _errand_. Now, could I be of assistance? Is my cousin with you by chance?"

William's eyes widened, his jaw beginning to drop before he caught himself. Schooling his expression yet letting bits of shock seep into his words, he asked, "Your butler did not tell you?"

The boy's brows furrowed. "Tell me what, exactly? All he mentioned was you needing Isabella away for an emergency. Is she still handling the situation?"

William scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I knew demons to be liars, but I thought he would have at least mentioned the real situation to you."

Ciel's face hardened into a scowl, anger beginning to rise up in his gut. "What did Sebastian neglect to tell me?" Rising from his seat, he slammed his hands flat on his desk while near shouting, "Why did you pull my cousin out of Houndsworth?"

"Pulling her away is an understatement," the Reaper remarked grimly, his shoulders stiff and eyes cast to the floor. "I carried her away for her own safety." Sighing at the worry growing in Ciel's visible eye, he quickly added, "To be blunt, the emergency was Isabella nearly dying, and her status right now still does not bode well."

* * *

 **REVIEWS:** **(I'm just gonna put them down here from now on)**

 **Ch. 29**

 ** _Yancelebi:_** **I actually snorted when I read this. XD**

 ** _:_** **Yeah, I've been contemplating both, but keeping her around might be too difficult for me in the long run. So, bye-bye Angela~  
And thank you so much! You're so sweet.**

 ** _Zoela:_** **Another vote to kill Angela. I'm sensing a trend. And yeah, I love the manga so much more. I just wanted Pluto. I have plans for him... *cue evil laughter***

 ** _DeathlyIceMaiden:_** **Honestly, its more of an angle I have planned to further push the Izzy/Sebastian plot line. I'm gonna better discuss it soon, but I just like the idea of Izzy getting overly attached to someone who shows her approval.**

 ** _AnimeLoverJS:_** **It honestly wasn't supposed to happen originally. I just started mulling over the idea and it sort of got out of control.**

 ** _darkangelynn5:_** **Done and done~**

 ** _phantom. :_** **Thanks! I'm glad I got those two chapters out. I had been stressing out over how to structure them, and I am super glad that Isabella's character is making sense. Also, yet another vote to off Angela. XD But cliffhangers have sort of become my signature.**

 ** _MzAkumaGore:_** **So another vote, and YES. This was my big chapter for this section, and I've been looking forward to writing and posting it. Now, for the chaos of the aftermath. (and perhaps Willa for the ship name? XD) I have plans for this, but its probably not gonna go how some of y'all want... (I should not have this power) But oh my god, that would be great to see. 'Going to hell' would be an understatement.  
And yeS I HAVE PLANS FOR THOSE TWO. BUT ITS SO FAR AWAY.  
But thank you for another sweet review! :D**

 ** _arielafina:_** **That's seven votes, oh my god.**

 _ **MidnightSalem:**_ **I can't help myself. Cliffhangers are officially my signature. And that's 8-0 for killing her, with several requests for burnings.**

 **Ch. 30- Author's Note**

 _ **HeartlessVampireGirl:**_ **It was so damn terrifying, and the feeling, UGH. And thanks! Everything just happened at once. i need to better stockpile.**

 _ **WickedlyMinx**_ **: What was worse was that I had a delayed reaction. I stepped on it, and it took me a few moments and watching the babies go everywhere before i went running screaming.  
And ahhHHHH. IM GLAD YOU LIKE IT. The idea that people binge read my story and would stay up late to read it... wow, its just such a weird feeling. I'm still in shock that it got this popular.**

 ** _MzAkumaGore:_** **Thankfully, my mother is a wonderful person and I have a brand new one. I am going to be so much more careful with this one cause oh my god, that sucked. But now, I can resume the story!**

 _ **DeathlyIceMaiden:**_ **I wanted to both laugh and scream when they made the joke. And I still can't believe I wasn't bitten because holy crap that was horrifying. And I seriously considered setting fire to the place.**

 ** _MidnightSalem_** **: Thanks! And yeah, but now his spawn are running around somewhere at my house. DX**

 ** _FairofHearts:_** **Sebastian has no boundaries and Izzy doesn't handle him not respecting her space well.**

 _ **Shaley-9:**_ **My skin stills claws when I think about how true that probably is. His spawn could be** ** _anywhere.  
_** **And aww, thanks! I hope I didn't make you wait too long, though. Glad the charger issue is finally over.**

 _ **mpdavidson04:**_ **You're review made me so happy! I'm glad the story is turning out so well: Its amazing to have so many people stand behind it. I hope you continue to enjoy it, and hopefully I don't screw it up along the way.**


	31. Her Waking

**Author's Notes:** **I have no excuses for the delay besides exhaustion and class.**

 **On a side note, I tend to get inspiration to write based off of songs: I've kind of killed my playlist on my profile, so does anyone have any songs they associate with this story? I would love to hear some of them and your reasons why they make you think of this story~!**

 **But yeah, not sure if I mentioned this in the last chapter, but I'm calling this 'The Recovery Arc' for the next few chapters. These will be more original storyline before merging back into the manga.**

 **Enjoy~**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Chapter 31: Her Waking.**

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"What _happened_?"

Grell flinched drastically under William's gaze, seeming to curl into himself under the full force of the anger directed towards him. Usually the red head found the stone cold eyes of the reaper manager thrilling and exciting, sending chills down his spine… Oh how Grell would crave these fiery moments of passion, but this time was different.

Even when angry, William barely responded. Narrowed eyes, stiffened shoulders, all reactions that the red head sought like sinner at Hell's Gates seeking salvation. But the pure rage on the usually cool and collected Reaper terrified Grell far beyond the usual tingles of attraction towards the man. Grell knew that this time, he had pushed just a little too far.

 _"It wasn't my fault,"_ Grell wanted to respond, backing himself up against the wall. _"That little tart simply drove me insane."_ But the words were lost behind spinning thoughts and conflicted fear with anger. The temp worker truly believed she was in the right. The newbie wasn't _that_ good at being a reaper. Sure, she had earned the specialist rank, but Grell couldn't understand why. What made her so qualified after such a short amount of time? Most reapers worked _decades_ before being even considered for the title.

And she was not even that pretty: not a spec of red in her wardrobe and her hair some strange shade of black that shined the ugliest shade of _blue_ of all colors. Grell could not suppress the shudder of distaste. Absolutely atrocious. Sure, she had red eyes, but they did not count: They constantly changed, mostly to the normal Shinigami shade of green.

Yet William adored her, doted on her, treated her like his equal. Grell's fanged teeth ground together, an ugly sneer forming as she threw her gaze towards the ground. Fists clenched at the thought of that harlot. Years of working at his side since graduating from the academy, and yet Grell had earned not one speck of the respect William gave this girl. William treated Grell more like a nuisance, a pest, lower then the vermin demons the dispatch manager so despised, rather than as a partner or an equal.

It drove Grell _mad_.

So of course he had to show her _exactly_ where she belonged.

" _Answer me, Sutcliffe_."

Flinching again, Grell admitted to herself that she likely went too far. Her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her fists tighter, remembering what had happened. Despite blatantly attacking the girl, the new agent refused to fight back. Sure, she eventually drew her scythe, but she never did anything more than block attacks. Grell remembered only flashing scenes, her rage driving her vision red as she viciously pressed forward, giving no leniency towards her target, who simply continued to play the defense, to press back.

But blocking is only good for so long, and eventually, Grell had managed to land a hit…

"Calm down, William!" The voice called out from inside the medical room that the two reapers currently stood outside of, cutting through the tension and dragging them back to reality. Both glancing inside, the subject of their conversation could be seen clutching her side with her good arm while carefully attempting to slide her feet out of bed. Jaw clenched, the pain of the movement was clear across her face, but she seemed otherwise unphased as her bare feet touched the ground.

"Isabella!" William snapped, hurrying into the room. Halting her from rising any further from the bed, he hooked an arm under her legs and repositioned her back under the covers. Grell paced in after the reaper, crossing her arms and scowling at the pair. "You should be resting, not straining yourself." All while he spoke, Grell mimicked William, mouthing out the words in an exaggerated fashion while diverting her gaze from the pair.

Rolling her eyes, Isabella knocked away her friend's hands as he fussed over her. "I am _fine_ , William." Glancing towards Grell with a slight quirk to her lips, she added, "I just don't want you punishing Grell for something I asked for."

" _Huh?_ "

William glanced at the red head who had spoken at the same time as him, but Grell quickly schooled his surprise, trying to act as if she knew what Isabella was speaking about. Shaking his head, William turned his attention back to the younger reaper. "You mean to tell me you _asked_ Grell to slice open your side?"

"I asked her to spar me," she responded cheekily, settling back into the hospital bed with only the slightest grimace of pain on her face which faded as quickly as it appeared.. "I was… _curious._ Her weapon is unique and very finely crafted. I wanted to know what it would be like to fight against it."

"In the middle of the _cafeteria_?"

She simply shrugged.

William found himself pinching the middle of his brow, muttering incomprehensible words under his breath. "Fine. If that's your story…" Looking from her to Grell, he warned, "This better not happen again." With that, he stormed from the room, grumbling under his breath about extra paperwork.

With William gone, Grell finally took a chance to look at the girl, her head tilting in curiosity as she examined the last person she ever would thought would cover for her. Isabella seemed to melt with William no longer in the room, her carefree smirk disappearing and her mask replaced with something that felt heavier.

Deciding to be blunt, Grell simply asked, "Why?" When the girl looked up with an almost innocent look of confusion, Grell found herself rolling her eyes before snapping, "You know what I meant, girl. Why did you cover for me with William? You know he did not buy a word of it."

With a weak laugh, Isabella once again shrugged, absently playing with a loose thread on her hospital gown. "You like William."

For some reason, the casual way in which the girl stated her knowledge over Grell's affections made her blood boil. Back stiffening, she defensively snapped, "What makes you think that, you little tart?"

Red eyes met with Grell's, and the smile the hybrid gave set her nerves on edge. The smile held an ethereal, otherworldly quality to it, even for someone who new the otherworldly all too well. What was supposed to be disarming sent chills down the elder Reaper's spine, feeling like prey being examined. Up till this point, Grell had almost forgotten what this girl really was: she acted so unusually for one with demon blood, but it was only a matter of time before her true traits would seep through, if only in a small gesture.

"You practically scream it from the rooftops on a daily basis," Isabella replied smoothly, chuckling lightly under her words. "That's what I admire about you: so much confidence in your actions. So much fire to drive you." Sighing, she slunk further into her pillows, eyes closing as she spoke. "I can't fault you for being jealous."

"Yes you can," the red head huffed, taking the liberty to shoo Isabella's feet to the side and flop down on the edge of the bed. "I tried to kill you with a few of those swings."

"And I do owe you a few swings for that," she replied with an eerie grin. "But again, I can't fault you. You're passionate. Strongly so. And… you love William in your own way, don't you?"

Grell blinked, processing the way the girl…the young woman said this. She sounded so aged, so understanding. Almost as if… "You love him too!" Grell screeched, eyes glinting happily at the juicy gossip she had stumbled across.

Panic filled Isabella's eyes, which she tried to mask with a laugh. "What?! No, no! I am practically his sister."

"He sees you as that, but you want something different, don't you?"

Her voice was quiet and hesitant as she spoke. "Please don't tell him." Grell moved to interject, but she lunged forward, grabbing Grell's hand and ignoring the protesting pain from her side. "Please. I couldn't bare it. He may see me as a sister, but he still hates demons. He would never take one as a lover. He will never see me as anything more. And to see any bit of disgust from his eyes towards me…" Her usually vibrant red eyes seemed to dull at the thought. "I could not bare to see him look at me like he used to when I first arrived here. Not with how I feel about him now. Not anymore."

Though she had every inclination to pull his hand from her grasp, Grell just couldn't. He knew what it was like to face rejection from the object of his affections, but with him, there was always hope, a slim chance of William eventually returning his feelings. This girl had no chance. She would forever be seen as the sister, and she clung to whatever closeness she could get. She knew that asking or hoping for more would be pointless. And this made Grell feel pity for the girl.

"Us ladies have to stick together, right?" Grell asked with a sad grin, showing off his unusually pointed fang teeth. Isabella simply smiled gratefully in response. "Besides, having you owe me would be a nice bonus," Grell adding, issuing a long, suffering sigh from Isabella.

However, neither were aware of the accidental eavesdropper standing just outside the room.

* * *

High.

She felt high, if that made sense. It was the only feeling she could describe at the moment. Like she was floating, with her mind lost in a haze.

But she knew she wasn't floating. She knelt on the cold hard floor, bits of glass biting into her knees and calves, slumped against the metal bars, which held her captive. Yet despite knowing the feelings, knowing how the slices in her legs should feel and the icy chill which hung in the air, causing her breath to come out in small, visible puffs, the feelings were actually lost to her. Like phantom pains of a wound long since healed.

Alive, yet not alive. Existing, yet not existing.

Low hooded eyes stared into the distance, searching for shapes amongst the twisting and turning wisps of smoke in the darkness. Faint outlines could be seen passing about, shifting in the smoke, yet not creating enough of a form for her to tell who they actually were.

That is, until _he_ stepped from the smoke, leaving swirling trails in his wake. Despite the darkness which enveloped them, he seemed to glow, causing her breath to catch in her throat and her long dead heart to thump wildly in her chest.

William solemnly stood in the distance, intently scribbling away at his clipboard, completely unaware of her existence. Her fingers clenched into her clothes, and she vaguely realized she no longer wore her usual clothes, but her old battered, button up dress shirt. But as quickly as she realized this, she decided that she did not care how it had happened. All she cared about was watching the man in the distance, her heart clenching tightly.

Yet her focus was soon diverted by a new feeling… a feeling that broke through her high. "Such a pity…" She barely registered the voice behind her, eyes remaining locked on the light before her. "To think that _this_ is what would impress you. Such a pity… such a _disappointment_."

She knew who he was the moment he spoke. _Sebastian._

Fingers pressed into the back of her neck, causing a foreign energy to shoot down her spine, sending thrills through her. Trailing his fingers down her spine, his words dripped like honey yet cut like a searing hot knife. "You sit here, wanting and hoping, burying your soul into the small glimmer of hope that he might return your feelings…" Fingers reaching the base of her spine, he pressed his lips to the crook of her neck, nuzzling his face into her hair and breathing deeply. "So beautiful, yet so _pathetic_ … a tragedy, really."

The more he touched her, the more the fire in her core began to burn, like a slow turning engine coming to life. Her mind finally found her voice, speaking softly while refusing to look away from the center of her attention. "You call me pathetic for pining for him… yet here you are, pining for a woman who despises your very existence."

"Oh really?..." he practically purred rolling his face closer to her ear. Though she could not see his face, she could practically hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke. "What makes you think that I am actually here?"

Awareness filled her as she finally acknowledged her surroundings. The hazy fog, the lone cage, her dirtied fingers curling into the edge of ratty and torn button up shirt she wore. "Where…where am I?..." The William in the distance glanced up from his clipboard, locking eyes with Isabella in her cage. Realizing the illusion had lifted from her mind, he turned and took his leave, vanishing off into the fog as she softly whispered, "This is a dream, isn't it?"

"Your thoughts are betraying you …" he replied with a seductive chuckle in her ear. Hands ghosted along her sides, moving to wrap around her waist and draw her flush against the solid chest behind her. As her breath hitched, she noticed the shadows enshrouding the hands that gripped her tightly. "But I am honored to have made an appearance, my dear… or should I call you my kitten?"

Lifting her hand to her face, long, deadly looking claws greeted her in the lowlight. Her demonic energy surged beneath her skin as she felt the one who held her turn his attentions to the skin of her neck, lips teasing along, causing her heart to race. Hovering his mouth above her pulse point, she suddenly felt a sharp pain as his teeth bit harshly into the skin. Her body arched at the pain, not knowing what to make of it.

"So responsive…" he murmured against her skin. "You yearned for this didn't you?" His fingers pressed against her stomach, slowly traveling down her front towards her core. "You want this, my little kitten…" As her breath hitched again, he nipped at her ear lobe, harshly tugging at it. "My precious little…"

" _Isabella!_ "

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Jolting upright, Isabella's breath came in heavy pants, her spine stiff from tension. A pair of hands quickly grasped her shoulders, and she moved to lash out.

"Isabella! Calm yourself!" She froze. This voice. It was not that of the demon in her dreams. Nor was it the voice which woke her. Eyes finally focusing, she immediately relaxed upon seeing the one who held her still. "William… what…"

"Please calm yourself," he pleaded, pressing her down lightly to lie back down on the bed. "You will reopen your wound."

"My…" She reached up, her hand of her uninjured side moving to rest on the opposite shoulder, feeling the wrappings under the edge of her hospital gown. "…oh" The wrappings stretched across the crook of her neck, covering the area where she had been bitten in her dream…

Suppressing a shiver, she finally relaxed back against the bed, realizing how exhausted she felt. She was alive, resting in what she assumed to be the Shinigami's hospital ward. "I feel horrible…" Offering a weak smirk, she quipped, "That angel did quite a number on me, didn't she?"

"This is _not_ a joking manner!"

Isabella's gaze snapped to the voice, noticing an angry figure standing off to the side. With wide eyes, she was shocked when she recognized him. "Ciel?..."

His hands were fisted at his sides, his jaw clenched. "What were you thinking, provoking a fight with an _angel_? Are you _mad?_ You nearly died!"

Isabella stared blankly, blinking slowly, before she turned towards William and smacked him on the arm. "What in the Hell is my cousin doing in the Shinigami Realm?"

"He insisted," William replied bluntly, seemingly undisturbed by Isabella hitting him. "Apparently, the vermin neglected to tell him about your… _condition_ when we last parted. He was very upset to realize that exactly why you had been missing for two weeks."

"Did you say _two weeks_?—"

"Isabella!" Her jaw snapped shut as she looked back to her cousin. "How can you be so casual about nearly _dying_?"

"Because I've already died once," she replied with a shrug. "Well, twice if you count when Lancastor threw me off—"

 _SLAP._

Silence reigned in the room as Isabella watched Ciel with unabated shock. His hand still hung in the air while his breath came in heavy, quick bursts. Though his one eye remained covered, her heart nearly broke looking into the visible one. His face may have shown anger, but the deep sapphire eye held so much sadness and worry.

"I have lost _everything_." His words were hoarse and low, to where she could barely hear them, but the amount of unbridled emotion they held… "I only just found you: _I refuse to lose you again!_ "

Her fingers reach up to trail along her cheek, fingering the slightly stinging skin. Though far from hard enough of a strike to bruise, her heart clenched: Ciel this boy may be, but her poor protection of him had led to the world breaking him. A heavy weight settled over her soul.

Swallowing her pain, and mustering up a smile, she inclined her head while simply replying, "Yes, my Lord."

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 **Reviews:**

 ** _AUniqueIndifference:_** **He is gonna be in deeeeeeeep shit. And yeah, he may be a demon, but he is definitely not perfect. And I am so glad she got it, I needed the charger so badly.**

 ** _DeathlyIceMaiden:_** **Not the brightest butler.**

 ** _Moonbeam:_** **IM SORRY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH CLIFFHANGERS. ;_;**

 **And it wasn't quite like that, but I did have a bit of internal struggles. XD Also no apologies for rambling! I like hearing everything you all think about my stories!**

 ** _Fanfic authoress:_** **Oh thank you so much! I'm glad people like Isabella so much despite her quirks. ^^;**

 ** _Sosickofraininjuly:_** **Saaaaaaame. I will warn that I'm not regular with updates, but I promise I won't give up on this story.**

 ** _Sebbychans-waifu:_** **I literally squeaked reading this review, THANK YOU. I'm so glad that my writing style is making sense. I worry so much that I'm not doing the story the justice it deserves when trying to write each scene. I really appreciate this review!**

 ** _FairofHearts:_** **She is amazing, this is true.**

 **Hmmm... those two are gonna clash real soon, that's for sure...**


	32. Her Dilemma

**_Author's Note:_ Okay, sorry this took so long. I could make excuses, but life is hectic and my muse never cooperates. Hopefully I am back on schedule now. Plus side: I got a B in Organic Chemistry I, so YAY. Now I just have to find a job and survive Organic Chemistry II this semester. *sobs in a corner***

 **OH. AND JUST TO BE A TEASE:**

 **Sebby and Izzy stuff in just a couple chapters... as to exactly what happens, well, let's just say their relationship just _might_ take a step forward finally...**

 **OR MAYBE MY BRAIN WILL CHANGE ITS MIND, BUT THAT'S COURSE AS OF NOW.**

 **SO FEAR MY MUSE. AND POSSIBLY YELL AT IT BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP WASN'T ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO TAKE THIS LONG TO DEVELOP.**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.**

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 **Editor: The marvelous and very patient Aservis Roturier~ Check out their Kuro stories!**

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 **Chapter 32: Her Dilemma.**

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"What in the hell just happened?"

Glancing from the corner of his eye, Vincent barely acknowledged his old friend, Diederich, as the man barged into his study. The Earl's mind was still mulling over the night's events, his shoulders tense as he leaned forward to rest his mouth against his clasped hands. The night had not gone as planned, hence why he had been brooding alone in his study.

As a loud cracking sound came from the far corner of the room, he quickly reminded himself of how he had not been brooding _completely_ alone.

"I _hate_ that man," Isabella spat out as she flexed her hand between shaking off the plaster dust. Glancing over towards the two men, one shocked and the other disapproving, she muttered, "Sorry about the hole in the wall, Uncle Vincent…"

He sighed as his shoulders slumped. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he wearily replied, "It is all right… you have a perfect right to be upset."

"Which, again," Diedrich interjected. " _What happened?_ "

Standing, Vincent strode over to his niece, lifting up her hand to observe the rapidly healing splits in her knuckles. "Earl Lancaster is blackmailing me."

" _What_?!"

"Must you be so loud, Diedrich?"

"What does he even want?" he asked, moving to drop down into a chair. "Money?"

"Isabella," Vincent quipped to Diederich, dropping the girl's hand after assuring she had not damaged herself too badly. "He wants Isabella to return to living with him."

Snorting, Diedrich replied, "Does he have a death wish?" Gesturing towards the hole in the wall, he added, "That's her when she is irritated. I hate to think of what she is like angry."

"He doesn't want to keep me," Isabella interjected. Beginning to pace in front of the fireplace, her hands flexed at her sides. "He wants to marry me off to whoever has the best title and connections."

"My apologies to the groom."

Spinning around to the man, she snapped, "I refuse to marry some stranger who would treat me as a show piece and a vessel for an heir."

"And I refuse to accept this," Vincent added firmly, rising to place a hand on Isabella's shoulder. "I will not allow this."

Growling under his breath, the German man demanded, "If he is blackmailing you, why let him just walk out of here?" Looking towards Isabella, he added, "Hell, why did you not maul him? Isn't that what you usually do to people who threaten the Phantomhives?"

"She tried," Vincent replied with a sigh. "We encountered some… _unexpected_ obstacles."

Isabella gave a very unladylike snort, pulling down on the collar of her dress. Even in the low firelight, Diedrich could easily see the marks. "What in the…" Rising up, he strode over to the girl, tracing his fingers along the already darkening bruises around her throat. "Did Lancaster do this?!"

"Tch, as if," Isabella snarked, reaching up to rub gently along the finger marks on her neck. "Even little Ciel could beat that man in an arm wrestling contest."

"Not quite… but it would be a close match," Vincent managed with a smile. "However, this damage was done by Lancaster's new butler."

Diedrich turned between the two, obviously confused. "Still, how could one butler do this kind of damage?" Lifting her hand up to Vincent, he added, "Her hand is already healed from cuts, but the bruise on her neck is only looking worse."

Vincent turned solemn, looking towards his niece as he spoke. "Isabella may not be fully human, but when she lunged for Lancaster and the butler interceded… I have reason to strongly suspect that he is not a full human either."

"No, he isn't." Isabella's words were stiff and sharp, her hands balling into fists. "And he is the reason why we have to accept Lancaster's demands."

" _What?"_ Vincent gaze turned sharply to Isabella, who visibly flinched at the anger and flatness in her Uncle's voice. He rarely showed this side, but when he did, she wanted nothing but to run away. Having the anger directed at her gave Isabella the urge to curl up into a ball and disappear. "How could you even suggest that? We will deal with them as we deal with anyone who steps out of line: we will end them."

"But they _aren't_ just anyone else," she continued, hoping that her uncle would listen to her reasoning. "This is a fight we cannot win."

"I shall decide what we do," he snapped, stepping forward towards her. "And I refuse to agree to this."

"And I refuse to go against a man with this kind of piece on his chessboard!" Her shouting caught Vincent off guard, causing him to step back as she continued. "I may not be fully human, but neither is that butler. Only I think he is much worse of a threat than I could ever be."

"What kind of threat is he then?" Diederich hesitantly interjected, obviously disturbed over the two fighting. Vincent never grew angry with Isabella, and Isabella _never_ questioned Vincent. Dread filled his gut as she answered.

"My father must hold a deeper grudge than I originally thought…" Her voice low, her eyes cast to the fireplace. "Because I am positive that his new butler is not human at all. No one with human blood could have intercepted me that quickly and held me by the throat with such ease. I think my father made a contract…" Lifting her gaze to meet the two men. "A contract with a full blooded demon. "

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"What the hell."

Ciel smiled serenely, his eyes glinting with unbridled amusement as he watched his cousin from where he sat cross legged on the end of her bed. She glared intently at the object of her ire, a scowl planted on her face. One hand tightly gripped the edge of the hospital bed table positioned across her lap, the other drumming her nails along the tabletop.

"What. The. Hell."

"Growling at the chessboard isn't going to win you the match."

Isabella whipped her face to the side, narrowing her eyes at the Reaper seated primly in the uncomfortable hospital chair while sorting paperwork. "He is twelve years old: he shouldn't be this good at chess."

Straightening his back as he sat on the edge of her hospital bed, Ciel quipped, "Just because you are less skilled at strategy does not mean you should take it out on those around you." As her scowl fell upon the boy, he impishly smiled while gesturing towards the board. "Please, make your move. You could still win."

A pause, then without breaking eye contact, she reached forward, moving a piece as a slow grin grew on her face. "Let's see what you do with—"

With no hint of hesitation, Ciel reached forward and moved another chess piece. A deceptively angelic smile rested on his face, his eyes sparking with victory. "Check mate."

"You little shit."

"Language, Isabella," William pipes up, a faint smirk resting on his face. "That is not appropriate language for a child."

The smile dropped off of Ciel's face as he huffed at the Reaper manager. "I am _not_ a child."

"Tch," Isabella replied, reaching forward towards his king piece. She rested one finger on the king, tilting the piece and rolling it in circles on the chessboard. "Deny till you are blue in the face: you will always be a child in my eyes."

Before the young Earl could reply, the door to the room quickly opened, revealing a young, put together looking reaper with worried eyes. "I forgive the intrusion, but we have an… _issue_."

Isabella's head tilted in curiosity, straightening up as well she could in the hospital bed. "How may we be of assistance?"

With a pointed look to the injured mix-breed, William sharply remarked, "No." Then, without giving her room to argue, he turned to the figure still standing in the doorway. "How may _I_ be of assistance?"

"It's a demon…" the agent began, pulling a file out of his suit jacket. "A demon of a similar description has been reported to be lingering around several collection sites in the past hour or so."

"Demon?" Ciel muttered, brows scrunching together.

The agent glanced at the boy, but seeing as neither of the senior officers seemed against the boy's presence, he continued on, referencing the file. "The demon in question is described as having been dressed all in black, appearing to be wearing a butler livery—"

"God damn—!"

"Well, that took him longer than I expected," Ciel remarked, cutting off his cousin's explicative. "Sebastian is growing slow."

The agent looked surprised. "You know this demon?"

"Unfortunately."

William spoke up with a sigh. "This is my fault. The demon is contracted to the boy, and I brought the boy here without the demon's knowledge." Adjusting his glasses while rising to stand, he quipped, "In hindsight, I am surprised it took the beast this long to realize."

"He was busy with an errand," Ciel supplied to William. "He and my family associate, Albert, went to handle issues of the Watchdog on my behalf."

Isabella perked up at this. "Did you say Albert? He still works for the Phantomhive family?"

Ciel smirked at the enthusiasm in Isabella's voice over her former assistant. "He was invaluable during my transition as the head of the Phantomhives. Albert handled reassembling the paperwork and documents for the company that were lost to the fire alongside Tanaka, and he instructed me on the inner workings of the position of the Queen's Watchdog. You and the former Earl trained him well."

"Pardon the interruption," William interjected. "But I do believe we have more pressing matters."

"It seems my visit will have to be cut short," the boy muttered in irritation. "I need to have a word with my butler about his recent actions."

"I don't know what he is thinking," Isabella snapped. "I clearly stated that interfering with my coworkers would void our deal."

William's brows raised. "Deal? What deal?"

"…Uh oh."

"He isn't quite interfering…" the nearly forgotten messenger added. "He is just… standing there. Smiling. Very creepily smiling."

"Stupid puppy."

"Still, he is being a nuisance, and I will not tolerate that or his recent behavior," declared the young earl as he slipped off the hospital bed. "I will go handle him. William, would you mind taking me?"

The Reaper solemnly nodded. "I need to fetch Isabella's scythe from the beast, anyway." Giving a pointed look to the half demon, he added, "Do not think I will forget about this 'deal.' We shall discuss the details later." Isabella merely slumped down in the hospital bed, solemnly nodding at her mentor.

Walking around the foot of the bed, Ciel halted, glancing over towards Isabella. "How long will your recovery be?"

She shrugged while William spoke up. "With her accelerated healing, she should be ready for desk work within the next few days." Ignoring her groan of displeasure, he added, "She will have a mandatory two weeks of desk work while her case is processed." At this, a pillow collided with his face, knocking his glasses askew.

"Two weeks?!"

Adjusting his glasses back into place, William sighed. "Isabella, it is necessary. Not only were you gravely injured, but you confronted an angelic presence without clearance." Frowning, he gravely stated, "Our superiors are not pleased."

"When are they ever?" she huffed. "Clearance or not, I am a _specialist_. My training is to seek out situations like this and handle them. Had I known it was an actual angel, I would have gotten back up first, but I thought it was simply a relic."

"And I will make sure they are aware of this," William replied, attempting to placate her. "The two weeks will simply help appease them of the incident."

"Just listen to William, Isabella. The sooner you are cleared, the sooner you can come to the mansion." Ciel straightened his suit as he spoke. "I would like for you to visit for a period of time."

She sighed, knowing that she had no argument. "Fine, I will behave." Gesturing for the boy to approach, she began to straighten his bowtie before ruffling his hair between her fingers, softly smiling. "If you still want me to stay with you, I would enjoy that."

"I want things to return to as they were before," Ciel replied, attempting to smooth out his hair. "But I know that is not possible. So, I will take what I can." Moving towards the door where William stood, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Be more careful, Isabella."

"I love you too, Ciel."

* * *

 _ **Reviews:**_

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Oh, just wait till I get to the next chapters... Also, I think FF has noticed how much of a regular comment you are: they no longer send me emails whenever you comment. I got** **genuinely concerned when I didn't get an email about your comment the week after I posted.**

 **GraceRoyal: I love these all, they are perfect. I actually have some Within Temptation songs and this renewed my interest in them. Thank you so much. 3**

 **Celona: This song is just amazing and works so well... Like the lyrics just speak to the story. Ugh I need to hurry up and get to more of romance bits of the story. Thank you!**

 **SkittleLuvr.x3: Aww, thank you! Also, don't worry. I have plans for Angela~**

 **Reclun: Thanks! Glad you like it!**

 **CaptainFluggers: Well the wait is finally over, lol**

 **Paige McCarthy: Wait you've actually read this multiple times? Omg, I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that people actually read my work, and the fact that people would want to read it multiple times and even recommend it? Its so flattering and means so much, thank you wonderful person. And I'm glad the story seems balanced: I like rotating between character POVs so that I make sure I'm staying in character for everyone. It helps me organize all of their head spaces and such. I feel like not enough balance kills a story.**

 **Silent Killing: Ahhh, you are so sweet! Also, love the honest review about Izzy: yeah, her personality can be a bit extreme and hard to handle at times. I'm just glad she is making sense to people. And characterization is my biggest focus, so I'm glad she seems realistic! You are so sweet! Also, finally updated, ha. XD**


	33. Update and a Challenge:

Okay so no chapter right now but **_HEAR ME OUT PLEASE._** This will be deleted later.

First off, I am working on the next chapters. However, the next few flashbacks are very important and I want them split up and detailed properly. This means I need to write them all before continuing this arc (Btw- i'm calling this the Recovery Arc). Anyway, this means once I have drafted up all these properly, posts will resume. Expect a month at most **I'M SORRY** but otherwise nothing will make sense.

Secondly, do any of you like Hellsing Ultimate? Cause I like Hellsing Ultimate. Actually, I **LOVE** Hellsing Ultimate. And unfortunately, plot bunnies have arisen. So on the side of this, I'm plotting a Hellsing OC story. But rather than post as I go, I'm write most of this before I actually post anything. I will let y'all know how that pans out.

Lastly, a **_challenge_** for you. What are your Isabella head canons? **For example:** I see Isabella as the type to hog the couch. She would sprawl across it in pants and a stolen button up shirt, arms and legs sprawled in random directions while constantly shifting and stretching. Sebastian tries to mention how its very "unladylike" of her, to which she 'politely' tells the puppy where to stick his opinion. Tell me your head canons, give me idea fodder. I might turn a few into little mini scenes to add to the end of chapters: not connected to the story, but little moment snippets.

Anyway, thanks for your time and patience!


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